How to transcribe shorthand?

Thanks for your question.  There are very few people who can help us with shorthand, luckily there isn't much of it in our records.  As you mentioned, the best thing to do is add [shorthand] to your transcription and move to the next part that you can transcribe.  Additionally you could also tag the record with the term shorthand.  This would allow for people to search for record that include examples shorthand.

Suzanne

Community Manager, National Archives Catalog

Hello!

Out of curiosity,  what are you transcribing? - I am semi-familiar with Greg Shorthand.

Hello Sandy:

Short hand skills are learned in classes for secretarial skills.  I took a class in high  school   For this editing practice, most may have to mark a question mark (?) for the short hand section.

Good question to consider for future transcription.

http://gregg.angelfishy.net/

You might try the link above, or search for Gregg Shorthand reference list. I wish I had learned Gregg Shorthand but learned an easier version, called Stenoscript, which was mostly just removing vowels from words.

Carol

https://greggietranslator.wordpress.com/

The link above is for a Gregg shorthand to English, and the reverse, translator, named "Greggie".

Carol

I learnt Pitman shorthand years ago and might be able to help (but only if your example is Pitman- I can't read Gregg!)

Lesley

There are two major shorthands, Gregg, which is predominant in the US, or Pitman, which is used a lot in Britain.

There was an app to translate Gregg shorthand several years ago, but I don't think it is still available. Looks like your best bet is to find someone local who can read shorthand. Check with your local and state historical societies, and try your state library - most states have them!

---Julia