Shorthand writing is of two kinds-stenography and phonography.

Stenography was the shorthand of the ancients, and is not much in use today. It involves the learning of hundreds of arbitrary signs for words, and is very difficult to master.

Phonography is the shorthand of the present, and is the one employed by nine of every ten shorthand reporters, although all shorthand writers are called stenographers, because the old name still clings to them. Phonography is the only scientific shorthand, and is quite easily learned, if the instructions contained in these lessons are followed.

The name phonography is a union of two Greek words, phone and graphe, the former meaning sound (or voice), and the latter a writing, thus making the actual definition of phonography to be sound writing or voice writing, that is, to write the sounds of the voice. The science was given that name because, in writing phonography, spelling is done by actual sound, not according to the usual way of spelling. For instance, the dictionaries would spell the word nigh this way-n-i-g-h-using four letters. But in phonography we would spell nigh according to its sound, thus, n-i. And all other words on the same plan, thus, n-a, nay, n-u, knew, etc., etc., etc. Hence it will be seen that phonography is to the human voice what photography is to the features - one places on paper a likeness of our form, the other a likeness of our speech. Spelling, as taught in school, does not do this; neither does stenography. Therefore, they are deficient in speed. But phonography, by saving time in spelling, gives speed in two ways: i. e., both in the use of less letters, and in briefer signs.