Of Prepositions and Terminations.—Prepositions and terminations are the letters or signs by which the first and last syllables of words are represented. The whole of the single and double consonants of the alphabet are employed in denoting the beginnings or endings of words; in which situations the letters are not joined to the other part of the word, but placed so close as to show their connection and prevent their being mistaken for separate and independent wonls. The letter b represents the prepositions abs, ode, de.; and the termina tions ble, We, bly ; the letter d, tho prepositions de and des, and the terminations (tom, end, ened, ; tho letter f, the preposition for and the termination fat; and the other alphabetical, characters are appropriated in a similar manner. Besides the consonants several arbitrary marks are also used to denote the endings of words. In many cases a preposition and a termination together are all that are necessary to represent a word.
Of A rbitraries.—In the system of Taylor very few arbitraries are employed. They do not exceed twenty in number and may generally be employed with advantage, which is more than can be said of the arbitraries of several other systems. The experienced shorthand writer may readily, and with much benefit to himself, increase the number of these marks as occasion may require. For instance, the in dividual who acquires the art of writing shorthand for the purpose of its practical application in a court of law, may readily assign arbitrary marks for such technical terms or lengthy words as are of most frequent recurrence. In the same manner the student of medicine or divinity may also form such characters to suit his own peculiar pursuit ; and those persons who practise shorthand for a variety of purposes may in like manner adapt them to the several subjects on which they may have occasion to take notes. The great capabilities of arbitrary characters in these respects have not, we believe, been pointed out as they might have been, either by Mr. Harding or any other author into whose system we have looked.
Of the mode of Spelling.—The great aim of shorthand being to represent words by the fewest simple characters possible, all letters which are not distinctly sounded in any word must be omitted, except in cases where their retention may seem necessary. If words are written as they are pronounced, every silent letter will of course be omitted. In following a speaker, however, it is necessary that all
vowels should be omitted, or otherwise it will be impossible to take more than the substance of his remarks. Where, however, proper names occur, they should either have the vowels inserted or be written in longhand : the latter method is most advantageous, as the names, when so written, serve its rallying-points to the eye in deciphering shorthand notes. Where the vowels are omitted in general writing, the rule is to write such of the consonants as are sounded in the pro nunciation of any word.
Of Miscellaneous Modes of Abbreviation. —.As in following a speaker all the vowels require to be omitted, and the consonants only written, so all the small words in a sentence are likewise left out. In some cases, however, where the speaker is deliberate and the writer is expert, nearly all the words may be expressed. In the abridgement of sen tences of course the writer is guided by his own judgment and the necessities of the case. The different tenses and moods of the verbs are generally expressed in the English language by the help of other verbs, as shall, hare, had, can, could, may, must, be, &e. These being written by their first consonant, may be joined together ; but a point should be inserted over the characters, to signify that they are the first letters of words in the sentence. The radical ]wart of a word too may often be sufficient to denote the whole word, as exp. for expenses, pos. for possible, and so forth. A mode of contraction much used in common writing is to express the first and last consonants of a word, inserting a dash in the middle to show that it is deficient. This plan may be adopted in shorthand writing, or the common letters may be occasionally used. If the characters cannot be distinguished by the plan first pointed out, the termination may be written under the first consonant. The usual abbreviations in longhand can be adopted in short hand. If a part of a sentence is to be repeated, a line may be drawn under it, and a caret placed where the repetition should bo read.
As our object is not to supply a manual by which the art of short hand may be acquired, but rather to afford some information concern ing its leading principles, we have omitted explanations of minor importance.