Chapter 17: Shortening techniques

Recommended time to spend on this chapter: 1–2 days.

  1. Read folding and complete the drills (20 minutes)
    • Repeat the drills as needed
  2. Read dropping unstressed vowels and complete the drill (20 minutes)
    • Repeat the drill as needed
  3. Read inversions and complete the drill (10 minutes)
    • Repeat the drill as needed
  4. Read left hand compound clusters and complete the drill (15 minutes)
    • Repeat the drill as needed
  5. Read dropping other sounds (10 minutes)

Remember to take breaks!

Introduction

All the techniques covered up until this point will allow writing almost any word. However, words are usually split into outlines such that one stroke corresponds to one syllable. This is not terribly efficient. To put this into perspective, professional stenographers have to write 225 WPM (or 5.25 syllables per second) to graduate. Even for professionals, 5 strokes per second is almost too fast.

Instead of relying entirely on finger speed, steno outlines can be shortened. This is done through various techniques that either compress more sounds into each stroke, or drop unnecessary sounds altogether. Shortening techniques are not applicable to any arbitrary word (nor are they entirely conflict free), but they can still be extremely helpful for whole families of words. The techniques listed on this page are low in conflicts and it may also be the case that some words cannot be written without one or more of these techniques. It is very recommended to learn these.

Keep in mind, however, that several of the outlines listed on this page may not be in the default Lapwing dictionary. Many of the outlines are suggestions and examples of how these techniques can be used.

As you build speed and proficiency with steno, you’ll want to tailor your dictionary to how you write. It is very crucial to become comfortable with adding to your dictionary, especially if you decide to use these shortening techniques very heavily. Adding entries that use these techniques is completely normal and to be expected.

NOTE: it is recommended to complete these in order as some of the later drills incorporate techniques from the previous exercises.

Folding

Folding is a technique where a key (or chord) is inserted into a stroke to represent a sound that is typically found at the end of a word.

R-folding

Folding -R into a stroke can add an ending “r” sound like in the following examples:

  • equator AOE/KWAEURT = AOE/KWAEUT + -R
  • humor HAOURPL = HAOUPL + -R
  • modulator PHO/SKWRAOU/HRAEURT = PHO/SKWRAOU/HRAEUT + -R
  • shimmer SHEURPL = SHEUPL + -R

Some outlines using this technique would conflict with preexisting words (e.g., TARP for “tarp” or “tapper”). In cases where A is the vowel, AE can be used as an alternative vowel chord.

  • hammer HAERPL = HAPL + ER
  • tapper TAERP = TAP + ER

R-folding is high in conflicts for single stroke outlines but low in conflicts for multistroke outlines. It is safe to use this technique for ending multistroke words.

L-folding

Folding -L into a stroke can add a sound containing the “l” consonant on the end of the word. Usually this is the “-ly” or “l” sound as in the following examples:

  • mostly PHOEFLT = PHOEFT + -L
  • portal PORLT = PORT + -L
  • final TPAOEUPBL = TPAOEUPB + -L
  • funnel TPUPBL = TPUPB + -L

This technique mostly fails whenever the steno outline already has the -L key in it, or if the stroke is too difficult to press. In these cases, folding the initial HR can sometimes work.

  • finally TPHRAOEUPBL = TPAOEUPB + -L + HR
  • basically PWHRAEUFBG = PWAEUFBG* + HR

*See section below on dropping unstressed vowels.

L-folding is low in conflicts; use it whenever possible.

T-folding

Folding -T can add the “-ity” or “-ty” sounds to the end of a word:

  • entirety EPB/TAOEURT = EPB/TAOEUR + -T
  • eternity AOE/TERPBT = AOE/TERPB + -T
  • porosity POR/KWROFT = POR/KWROF + -T
  • sanity SAPBT = SAPB + -T

T-folding is low in conflicts; use it whenever possible.

Using this technique might lead to difficult chords to press like -TD. Do not feel obliged to use T-folding in these scenarios.

E-folding

A long e /i/ vowel at the end of a word can be represented by folding the E key into a stroke:

  • auditory AU/TKEU/TOER = AU/TKEU/TOR + E
  • respiratory RES/PRA/TOER = RES/PRA/TOR + E
  • antimony APB/TEU/PHOEPB = APB/TEU/PHOPB + E
  • coffee KOEF = KOF + E
  • crumbly KRUPL/EBL = KRUPL/-BL + E
  • humbly HUPL/EBL = HUPL/-BL + E
  • numerically TPHAOU/PHER/KAEL = TPHAOU/PHER/KAL + E
  • symbolically SEUPL/PWOL/KAEL = SEUPL/PWOL/KAL + E
  • carefully KAEUR/EFL = KAEUR/-FL + E
  • dreadfully TKRED/EFL = TKRED/-FL + E
  • happy HAEP = HAP + E
    • happier HAERP (E and -R folding)
  • fancy TPAEPBS = TPAPBS + E
    • fancier TPAERPBS (E and -R folding)

E-folding with AEU

Words like “carry” would normally be written like KAEUR/KWREU. The ending long e sound can’t be represented with E-folding normally, since the previous stroke already contains the E key. Instead, AER can be used to represent this sound in one stroke.

  • carry KAER
  • estuary ES/KHAOU/KWRAER
  • corollary KOR/KWRO/HRAER
  • solitary SO/HREU/TAER

E-folding is high in conflicts for single stroke outlines but low in conflicts for multistroke outlines. It is safe to use this technique for ending multistroke words.

Practice material

Dropping unstressed vowels

Keep in mind the examples may only apply to General North American English.

In conversational speech, a lot of vowels typically aren’t emphasized. For example, the first “e” in the word “elephant” is enunciated very clearly, but the second is not. This second “e” can be dropped without affecting the pronunciation significantly. For example, listen to the two ways of saying “elephant”:

Dropping the second “e” in “elephant” is advantageous; it is now now possible to write this word in two strokes instead of one: EL/TPA*PBT.

This technique can be tricky, and it doesn’t always work with any arbitrary word. A great way to learn stress identification is to practice it in everyday life. When reading a word, pay attention to the vowels that aren’t emphasized. In particular, try dropping vowels from a word and observing if the word is still intelligible. For example, try saying “elephant” out loud in the two ways shown above. When reading the next few examples, try this out yourself.

definite

Write-out: TKE/TPEU/TPHEUT

Unstressed vowel(s) dropped: definite → defnit

The first “i” is unstressed and the “f” can be moved to the right hand.

Shorter outline: TKEF/TPHEUT

demand

Write-out: TKE/PHAPBD

Unstressed vowel(s) dropped: demand → dmand

The “e” is unstressed and the “dm” cluster can be moved to the left hand with TKPH.

Shorter outline: TKPHAPBD

deplorable

Write-out: TKE/PHROR/-BL

Unstressed vowel(s) dropped: deplorable → dplorbl

Every vowel except the “o” can be dropped. The resulting consonants can easily fit on the steno layout.

Shorter outline: TKPHROBL

derivative

Write-out: TKE/REU/SRA/TEUF

Unstressed vowel(s) dropped: derivative → drivtive

The “e” and the “a” are dropped.

Shorter outline: TKREUF/TEUF

electric

Write-out: E/HREBG/TREUBG

Unstressed vowel(s) dropped: electric → lectric

First vowel can be dropped.

Shorter outline: HREBG/TREUBG

differ

Write-out: TKEU/TPER

Unstressed vowel(s) dropped: differ → difr

The “e” can be dropped and the “f” and “r” can be moved to the right hand with -FR.

Shorter outline: TKEUFR

engineer

Write-out: EPB/SKWREU/TPHAOER

Unstressed vowel(s) dropped: engineer

The “i” can be dropped so that the “ng” sound can represented with -PBG on the right hand.

Shorter outline: EPBG/TPHAOER

geology

Write-out: SKWRAOE/KWRO/HRO/SKWREU

Unstressed vowel(s) dropped: geology → geolgy

The second “o” can be dropped and the “l” can be moved to the right hand.

Shorter outline: SKWRAOE/KWROL/SKWREU

modulator

Write-out: PHO/SKWRAOU/HRAEUT/O*R

Unstressed vowel (s) dropped: modulator → modlator

The “u” can be dropped and the j sound can be moved to the right hand.

Shorter outline: PHOPBLG/HRAEUT/O*R

NOTE: this can be combined with R-folding: PHOPBLG/HRAEURT!

possible

Write-out: PO/SEUBL

Unstressed vowel(s) dropped: possible → posbl

The “i” is unstressed, and the “s” can be represented with -F.

Shorter outline: POFBL

suppose

Write-out: SU/POES

Unstressed vowel(s) dropped: suppose → sppose

The “u” is unstressed.

Shorter outline: SPOES

Tom Scott and schwa

In many of these examples, the unstressed vowel is a schwa. This sound is always unstressed, and therefore can be dropped whenever possible. Identifying schwas quickly can therefore be very beneficial to automatically dropping unstressed vowels. Tom Scott has created a helpful video on understanding this sound which I highly encourage watching:

At 2:41, Tom mentions three words where the schwa is dropped entirely in spoken word. Instead of writing these words in three strokes like, SE/PAR/KWRAT, KHO/KO/HRAT, and KA/PHER/KWRA, can you think of two stroke outlines for each?

As an exercise, you can try looking back at the previous examples and identify the schwas. Note that not all unstressed vowels are schwas, and not all schwas in the examples are necessarily dropped.

Caveats

Sometimes this technique doesn’t work for a few reasons. First of all, the shortened outline might already conflict with another valid word. Here are some examples:

  • PWOUT can be “bout” or “about”

This technique may also fail if there are too many consonants in the shortened word. For example, in the word “consonant”, every other vowel after the first “o” is unstressed:

  • consonant → consnnt

However, it is not possible to include the “n” two times on the right side of the steno layout. We can, however, write it in two strokes as KOPBS/TPHAPBT.

If you’re brave, KOFPBT could be a valid outline!

Consonant group splitting quirks

After dropping an unstressed vowel, a word can typically be split at the point where the vowel used to be. For example, the word “literal” would be split like HREUT/RAL rather than HREU/TRAL—even if that pronunciation is more natural to you.

However, if a vowel is completely silent, like the second “e” in “veterinarian”, it is often preferred to treat the remaining consonants as one sound (just like it was shown in chapter 15).

This is one place where you may want to tweak your dictionary.

Practice material

Inversions

It is sometimes acceptable to break steno order when shortening outlines. It is especially helpful to invert the order of two keys for some words where dropping unstressed vowels is not enough. For example, in the word “fabricate”, the “i” can be dropped:

  • fabricate → fabrcate

Despite this, it is still not possible to represent the resulting sound in two strokes; the “br” cluster is problematic and forces the use of three: TPAB/R/KAEUT. This is where an inversion can be helpful—if the R key moved to the previous stroke, this word can be written in two strokes: TPARB/KAEUT.

Examples

  • migratory PHAOEURG/TOER
  • secretary SERBG/TAER
  • patrimony PART/PHOEPB
  • beside SPWAOEUD

*crossing out indicates dropped unstressed vowels.

Practice material

[Inversions](17-inversions.txt)

work-in-progress

Left hand compound clusters

In addition to the left hand chords learned in the very early chapters, there are also more advanced chords that can represent more than just a single consonant.

  • SPW is “int” or “ent” as in “entire” or “intern”
  • KP is “comp” as in “complement”
  • KPW is “comb” as in “combine”
  • KPH is “com” as in “comment”
  • W is “v” as in “divine”
  • STK is “d_s” as in “design” or “disarm”

KPW, KPH, and STK technically aren’t compound clusters, but are the result of other shortening techniques. However, it is easy to explicitly remember these as compound clusters as they are quite common.

Examples

  • entire SPWAOEUR
  • intern SPWERPB
  • compliant KPHRAOEUPBT
  • compliment KPHREUPLT
  • commend KPHEPBD
  • commit KPHEUT
  • device TKWAOEUS
  • divide TKWAOEUD
  • decide STKAOEUD
  • disappear STKPAOER

*crossing out indicates dropped unstressed vowels.

Practice material

Left hand clusters drill

NOTE: many of the words in this drill also utilize other techniques.

Dropping other sounds

Sometimes it may be convenient to arbitrarily drop more sounds to shorten steno outlines. For example, the “n” in “assignment” is not really enunciated, allowing it to be written in two strokes instead of three:

  • assignment A/SAOEUPLT
    • Instead of A/SAOEUPB/-PLT

This technique can also be applied to the following words:

  • confinement KOPB/TPAOEUPLT
  • consignment KOPB/SAOEUPLT

The words that work with this technique depend a lot on your accent and even personal speech patterns. If you find an intuitive outline missing from lapwing-base.json, you should not hesitate to add it to your personal dictionary.

While these last few examples may have been somewhat intuitive, it is also valid to drop sounds arbitrarily whenever a stroke can be saved:

  • abutment A/PWUPLT
    • first “t” is dropped
  • ambiguity APL/TKPWAOUT
    • “b” is dropped
  • discard STKARD
    • “c” is dropped
  • fragment TPRAPLT
    • “g” is dropped
  • efficient TPEURBT
    • “n” is dropped
  • patient PAEURBT
    • “n” is dropped

*crossing out indicates dropped unstressed vowels.

NOTE: this technique depends heavily on if there are existing words the resulting outline may conflict with.

As this technique is highly personal to each individual, it is not particularly useful to drill the words that can be found in the dictionary. Instead, cater this method to your own personal accent and speech patterns when adding new entries to your dictionary. Feel free to learn the shortened outlines in the dictionary that utilize this technique, but you are not at all obliged to follow them.