Lesson 1 - The Signs of the System

The signs of this System are formed from the two simplest of geometrical figures, namely the Straight Line and the Circle.

The straight line both full length and half length takes the following directions indicated by the arrow:

A large and small circle are used, the latter being about half the size of the former:

These circles are now divided first by a line drawn through them Vertically thereby giving us these four signs: . Next by a line dividing them Horizontally and giving us the following signs: i.e. . And lastly, the circles are cut into quadrants: = =

The following supplementary signs, chiefly used as diacritical or distinguishing marks, are also made use of: a dot , a dash , and the acute , and grave accents.

The Consonants formed from the Straight line

B	P	drawn straight downwards
D	T	drawn from left to right
G	K	drawn obliquely from right to left
V	F	drawn obliquely from left to right
R	L	drawn upwards from left to right

Observe that the soft and longer sounds B, D, G, V are expressed by the longer lines whilst their corresponding hard and shorter sounds P, T, K, F are expressed by the shorter ones.

The consonant R has two distinct shades of sound, one hard or trill-sound as in broil, umbrella; the other is a soft and frequently barely audible sound as in door, fear, heart, this latter may be distinguished from the former by a dash written in the middle of the sign: .

The Consonants formed from the Semi-circles

S	Z	drawn from left to right
Sh	Zh	drawn from left to right
M	N & NG	drawn downwards

It will be noticed that the soft sounds Z and ZH as in zeal, as, vision, are distinguished from their corresponding hard sounds by a dot. The difference between the two nasals N and NG is also indicated by a dot.

The Consonants CH J TH hard TH soft

The true sound-value of the consonant CH is found in the words church, chariot, chess, etc.

The corresponding soft sound is J as in jerk, giant, jest, etc. CH is formed from two quadrants of a small circle written in the same direction as the sign for K viz .

J is written the same way but two quadrants of a large circle are used viz .

Since TH is a blending of the sounds of T and D, we write its equivalent phonetic character which is formed from two quadrants of a circle joined together, in the same direction as T and D viz i.e. .

The soft sound as in There is written full length .

The hard sound as in Thistle is written half length .

The Consonants Y and W

Y. A small semi-circle in this position , written downwards and having a dot above is Y.

W. The consonant sound W is represented by a quadrant of large circle traced upwards, on the right hand side of which a dot is placed viz

The joining together of consonants

In order to connect two consonants together we add the sign of the second to the termination of the first, writing the compound sign with one stroke without lifting the pen.

Examples: kl , lk , mt , tm , sg , st , gr , rg , chr , rch , sd , dj , jr , lp , pl , thm , mth , nr , rth , thr

It is better to avoid forming an angle between two consonants, wherever is is optional, as for instance , it is more rapidly written thus .

Ex: vs , rsh , md , ps , dn , shp , mn , nm .

Note the following somewhat difficult connections: jm , nj , njm , js , gj .

Consonants


P	K	CH	T	TH	F	L		S	SH	M		Y

B	G	J	D	TH	V	R	R	Z	ZH	N	NG	W

Lesson 2 - Vowels 1

The vowels AH AW OO UH (short)

AH		as sounded in gnat is represented by a small circle
AW		as sounded in cod is represented by a large circle
OO		as sounded in foot is represented by a radiated circle
UH		as sounded in nut is represented by a dot

The joining of vowels and consonants

In the beginning of words

Join the vowel in such a way that it is either to the left or below. The reason for this will appear later. We may tabulate this rule thus:

The vowel goes to the left for

The vowel goes below for Ex: ag , ar , ob , om , at , od , as , us , ath , oth , ang , ur , ut , up , ug , etc.

In the body of words

Trace the vowel outside the angle formed by two consonants, viz f-d with a vowel f-a-d .

Ex: back , dock , rob , top , took , foot , full , pull , that , sad , mask , cast , charge , god , good , block , clock , etc.

At the end of a word

Vowels may be written either above or below, to the right or to the left.

Ex: shadow , show , to , body , army , know , blue .

The vowels AH AW OO O (long)

AH		arm
AW		all
OO		food
O		code
UR		urn

AH AW OO

These are the long sounds of the short vowels AH AW OO. We write no new sign for these, we simply place over the short vowel sign a horizontal dash that is commonly used to denote a long sound.

N.B. The dashes may, in practice, be omitted as the context will usually supply their omission. Such signs are necessary, however, in cases where any uncertainty may arise.

Ex: awl, all , bawl , dawn , walk , caught , bought , lawn , fought , laugh , palm , jar , art , farm , star , father , arm , food , flute , prove , fool , poor , tooth , room , suit , tool .

O

Represented by a large circle with a dot, .

Ex: foal , pole , soap , shoal , etc.

Lesson 3 - Vowels 2

The vowels EH and EE

EH		net
EE		knit

The short vowel EH as sounded in net and let is represented by any one of the four small semicircles .

For the short vowel EE, as in knit, give, the same signs are used but with the addition of a small dot placed above them .

The method of joining these signs to others

It is important to clearly understand and faithfully follow this rule, viz. “In joining these signs to others you must avoid in so doing forming an angle. From a consonant to a vowel an angle must never be formed. Nor from a vowel to a consonant, when at the beginning of a word.”

In the body of a word there will be an angle sometimes, from a vowel to a consonant, but never from a consonant to a vowel.

The following examples will illustrate this rule.

When a word begins with a vowel

Begin with the little semi-circle and place the consonant-sign that follows, to the right or above, in accordance with the rule enunciated in Lesson 2, 2, a.

Ex: echo , ebb , elm , elbow , if , it , is , ill , elk , elf , effort , error , Italy , idiot , essay , ember , else , ell , egg , embark , ignore , imp , etch , livery , irritable , image , etc.

Of the for equivalent signs choose the one that can be used without forming an angle, e.g. in joining ‘e’ to ‘b’ if forms an angle, viz ; nor no. 2 , or no. 4 ; but with no. 3 there is no angle formed: .

From a consonant to a vowel

Choose the semi-circle that will not form an angle with the consonant-sign.

Ex: bill , bell , sell , sill , mill , melt , effect , this , else , ell , elder , egg , best , practice , tell , till , chest , dip , rip , cellar , fellow , bellow , below , jest , skip , whip , rest , mistress , nest , get , give , jet , gelid , people .

The vowels EY and EE

EY		eight
EE		deep

These are the long vowels corresponding to the short vowels EH and I. The outline figure is the same in both cases, but EH is distinguished from EY by the latter having a dot placed under it, e.g. EH , EY .

Also, EE is distinguished from long EE by the latter having the horizontal dash placed above it, e.g. EE , long EE .

Ex: eight , late , place , maid , afraid , mislaid , plate , age , chamber , brief , deep , steep , meat, meet , feature , leader , seem , believe , green , vain , air , see , say , thee .

N.B. The consonant Y is always represented by the small semi-circle but drawn downwards: .

Ex: year , yard , yoke , Yorkshire , yacht , young , yellow , yawn , yet , yield , yearn , youth .

Lesson 4 - Diphthongs

The diphthong AI

The diphthong AI ( ) as sounded in file and my is represented by the same sign-outline as that employed to express the vowels EH and I, but it is differentiated from these latter by the method of writing it to the other signs.

The rule laid down in Lesson 3-2 is here disregarded and exactly the opposite made use of, i.e. express the diphthong AI by making the semi-circle form an angle.

Ex: tie , thigh , time , mile , file , fine , line , like , sigh , pie , right , while , choir , blithe , my .

The diphthong OW

The diphthong OW ( ) as sounded in fowl and cow is expressed by combining the two signs representing AH and OO thus .

The formation of this sign both at the beginning and end of words, offers no difficulty. When it comes between two consonants the simplest and quickest way of writing it, is to trace it in the same direction as the following sign.

Ex: out , hour , ounce , cow , now , plough , bow , about , fowl , mouse , crowd , gout , growl , gown , mouth , spouse , rouse , spout .

The diphthong OI

This diphthong ( ) is formed by combining the vowel-signs OH and EE, viz. or or .

Ex: boil , toil , joy , noise or , boy , point , coin , toy .

The diphthong JU

The phonetic U ( ), as sounded in use and view, is represented by a quadrant of a large circle: . Avoid an angular union wherever possible.

Ex: use , music , view , knew , obscure , pure , duke .

N.B. The consonant W likewise, represented by , is always written upwards.

Ex: wish , with , wig , wife , we .

Lesson 5 - Nasals

The sounds AN ON EN IN UN are such as are found in pan, pond, pen, pin, and pun. They are combinations of the short vowels a, o, e, i, and u, with the nasal n.

If, however, such combinations produce long sounds such as mane, bone, green, soon, the above remarks do not apply.

The short nasal sounds an, on, en, in, un are of such frequent occurrence that both speed and legibility is gained by expressing them by a short, simple sign.

They are then always represented by anyone of the four quadrants of a small circle, viz. . The rule laid down in Lesson 3-2 about the method of joining vowels must also be observed here.

In order to distinguish the signs for these various nasal sounds we make use of an acute and grave accent, written either above or below the quadrant.

The following table will illustrate the method of writing them.

AN		with an Acute above.
ON		with an Acute below.
EN		without any accent.
IN		with a Grave above.
UN		with a Grave below.

Ex: done , son , print , sent , dent , grant , month , money , funny , tenth , thin , front , channel , chance , man , men , until , lunch , many , none , sentry , sponge , woman , women , land , Sunday , winter , appearance , phonography , bondage , fancy , condense , pontiff .

N.B. When the nasal n is preceded by the long vowel sounds AH, AW, OO, O, EY, EE, it must be written out in full.

Ex: moon , brain , dean , pain , mean , groan , stone , own , stain , lawn , pawn , meanful , known , soon , fawn , painter .

Lesson 6 - H Aspirate

At the beginning of a word

Vowel signs, diphthongs, and the short nasal sounds may be joined to a following consonant sign at the beginning of a word in one of two ways, viz. either by being written forwards or backwards (See Lesson 2-2 and 3-1).

They are written forwards for .

They are written backwards for .

Now, to show an aspiration at the beginning of words write the vowel in the opposite way, that is to say, if “at” is written thus , then by transposing the vowel in this way , the “H” aspirate (“hat”) is indicated. Therefore, trace upwards or forwards for a simple vowel, downwards or backwards for an aspirate.

Ex: at , hat , all , hall , it , hit , is , his , as , has , air , hair , and , hand , ale , hale , arrow , harrow , aft , haft , am , ham , altar , halter , ark , hark , arm , harm , earl , hurl or & , art , heart , eel , heel , eve , heave , edge , hedge , elm , helm , ire , hire , old , hold .

In the body of a word

When “H” aspirate is sounded in the body of a word, if it is a compound word as “overheard”, we may write separately the two words “over” & “heard” and indicate the aspirate in the latter word, in the manner described in no. 1. In order to show that the two signs represent one word they must be written close together.

Ex: tender-hearted , overhang , warehouse , shorthand , Stonyhurst , loophole , underhand , upheave

Rule for non-compounded words and aspirated vowel-words

The position of the aspirate in words which are not compounded, e.g. behalf or enhance, or in aspirated vowel-words, e.g. how or who, is indicated by a short horizontal dash written below the vowel.

Ex: behalf , behind , enhance , who , high , how , apprehension .

Lesson 7 - More on nasals

Nasal followed by G

When the short nasal sounds are followed by “G” the pronunciation of the syllables will not be an + g, on + g, etc., but a + ng, o + ng, etc. Add therefore the short vowel sign to the consonant sign ng.

Ex: song , single , angle , lasting , bring , flung , bangle , sing , wrangle , long , thing .

NK

The sound “NK” is made up of ng + k : + and is stenographically expressed by adding the “K” sign to “ng”: .

Ex: bank , sank , brink , ink , wrinkle , link , wink , sink .

N.B. Although it is phonetically incorrect to express the sounds ank, ink, etc. by adding the “K” sign to the short nasal sign still it may be used as an abbreviated form of the sounds.

Ex: bank , sank , brink , ink , wrinkle , link , wink , sink .

Single vowels or nasal sounds

Words expressed by single vowel or nasal sounds are always represented by the sign appropriate to each in the synoptical vowel table.

Ex: I, eye , high , he , eh , an , on , in , hen , you , hew .

Note on Part II

By means of the system explained in this elementary course, every word in the English language can be written without difficulty. Those, however, who have desired primarily a very rapid and brief method of writing, will find in the legibility of this system and the ease in acquiring it, a compensation for the want of elegance resulting from the long form of some of the stenographic word-signs. For those, however, who desire a more rapid system of writing we have drawn up in Part II a method of abbreviating which is at the same time easily acquired, written with facility, very legible and proved to give excellent results.

Summary of Brandt’s Duployan Shorthand

Vowels

		Long
AH	fat	AH		father
AW	not	AW		naught
			O		note
OO	foot	OO		food
UH	nut	UR		urn
EH	net	EY		nail
EE	knit	EE		kneel

Diphthongs

AI	OW	OI	JU

Nasals


AN	ON	EN	IN	UN

Consonants


P	K	CH	T	TH	F	L		S	SH	M		W


B	G	J	D	TH	V	R	R	Z	ZH	N	NG	Y

A Psalm of Life





Tell	me	not	in	mournful	numbers,

“Life	is	but	an	empty	dream!”

For	the	soul	is	dead	that	slumbers,

and	things	are	not	what	they	seem.

Life	is	real	life	is	earnest

and	the	grave	is	not	its	goal:

“Dust	thou	art	to	dust	returnest”

was	not	spoken	of	the	soul

Not	enjoyment	and	not	sorrow,

is	our	destined	end	or	way


But	to	act,	that	each	to-morrow

finds	us	further	than	to-day.

Art	is	long	and	time	is	fleeting

and	our	hearts	though	stout	and	brave,

Still,	like	muffled	drums	are	beating

funeral	marches	to	the	grave

In	the	world’s	broad	field	of	battle

in	the	bivouac	of	life,

Be	not	like	dumb,	driven	cattle

be	a	hero	in	the	strife!

Trust	no	future,	howe’er	pleasant!

let	the	dead	past	bury	its	dead

-
Act - act	in	the	living	present!

heart	within	and	God	o’er	head!

Lives	of	great	men	all	remind	us

we	can	make	our	lives	sublime;

And,	departing,	leave	behind	us

foot-prints	on	the	sands	of	time:

Footprints	that	perhaps	another,

sailing	o’er	Life’s	solemn	main

A	forlorn	and	shipwrecked	brother,

seeing,	shall	take	heart	again.

Let	us	then	be	up	and	doing,

with	a	heart	for	any	fate;