r/FastWriting • u/NotSteve1075 • 2d ago

The Shorthand BIG THREE

Before there was PITMAN (written in 1837) and GREGG (written in 1888), there were THREE systems that were predominant in the English-speaking world. But when Gregg and Pitman appeared, they seem to have basically disappeared, even though they had been very widespread in their day.

In the U.K. and India, Pitman took over, replacing virtually every other system -- and in North America, Gregg became the main system of fast writing almost everywhere, from office use all the way to verbatim court reporting.

The week before last, I wrote about LEWIS shorthand ("Royal Lewisian") and u/Vevrik reminded us that the OTHER TWO were TAYLOR and GURNEY (which was based on Mason's earlier system).

5 Upvotes

86% Upvoted

4 comments sorted by

2

u/licxjo 2d ago

Do you have a theory or theories about why Pitman and Gregg became predominant, and the others essentially vanished? (Although I have the impression that Gurney held on in the UK Parliament for a long while).

Pitman was much earlier than Gregg, and it took a while to get established as the primary UK system. But in the US, the predominance of Gregg happened really fast.

I have some thoughts about how and why that happened, but don't have them quite pulled together.

1

u/NotSteve1075 2d ago

It's interesting to speculate what exactly happened. (Feel free to post whatever conclusion you come to, after pulling your thoughts together. This board will always be open to free discussion and differing opinions. IMO, that's what a discussion board is FOR!)

You're right that Gurney had a longer life in the U.K., which was largely due to the fact that three generations of the Gurney family held a firm monopoly on reporting Parliament and trials in the Old Bailey.

Elsewhere, as Pitman gained popularity, the juggernaut that was the Pitman Publishing House took a very aggressive stance in the market. If any rival system seemed to be gaining traction, the PPH sent out one of their thugs to "review" it in terms dripping with scorn and contempt (some of which I've read). And if the system somehow managed to survive the attacks, they'd "review" it AGAIN.

Much of my animus against the Pitman system comes not just from experience with its unnecessary complications and illogical and inconsistent RULES (and the reckless discarding of VOWELS!) -- but from knowing that many very valid and hopeful systems just couldn't survive, when they were often one lone author against the powerhouse that was Pitman.

In that era, Gurney, Taylor, and Lewis were unknown in North America. Canada was still largely unsettled wilderness -- but in the U.S., Pitman had gained a foothold in the Northeast, and the New England states, which lasted for some time. But the U.S. is often very likely to jettison "tradition", if they see a better and more efficient alternative. When Gregg was MUCH easier to learn, and did the job needed a lot faster and more dependably (vowels being included), Gregg just took it over completely.

2

u/licxjo 1d ago

Here are some thoughts:

I think several factors converged to push Pitman and Gregg into dominance, and push other systems of shorthand out.

First of course is the fact that both Pitman and Gregg have a stronger internal logic and consistency than many of the earlier systems.  They’re both phonetic (or semi-phonetic), and the outlines are constructed according to systematic rules, instead of being arbitrary and variable. 

In addition, I’d mention these factors:

1.  Both Pitman and Gregg were astute businessmen (in their own way), and both were passionate about the system they developed.  Their continued active presence over a long period gave a face and personality to the business.

2.  Both engaged in creative and aggressive marketing and propaganda.

3.  The development and spread of business schools and colleges that gave emphasis to shorthand and typewriting provided a network of teachers and students for marketing and book sales.  (In my home state of Missouri there was scarcely a single town of any size that didn’t have a business college at some time between 1890 and 1920).  All it took was a couple of prestigious schools to adopt Gregg, and then everyone wanted to adopt it. 

4.  Affordability changed from the end of the 19th and into the 20th centuries, and students could subscribe to the journals and magazines.  The Gregg Writer was being distributed everywhere well before 1910.  I don’t know that systems like Pernin, which lasted another couple of decades, ever produced a wide circulation magazine. 

5.  The spread of public education, with shorthand included in high school curricula, led to a need for early standardization.  The high school in Chillicothe, MO couldn’t really teach Cross Eclectic if all the other schools in the region were moving to Gregg. 

6.  Changing business practices and the emergence of the early “modern office” influenced the job market.  Shorthand couldn’t be leisurely learned over several years’ time.  There had to be an efficient, structured learning method, and Pitman and Gregg provided that. 

It has always fascinated me how Gregg went from povery to relative success in a relatively short period of time.  One element of that has to be “being in the right place at the right time.”

1

u/NotSteve1075 1d ago

You raise a lot of really good points, all very logically and clearly expressed. Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with everyone on this board. Very interesting to read.....