THE PROBLEM: I invented Givence Shorthand after struggling with Gregg Shorthand
(which I had been learning to use in meetings and class lectures). The problems with Gregg
Shorthand were several: (1) It was harder to read (interpret) than it was to write, since
it was highly phonetic in nature. (2) Many of the shorthand forms were focused on business
correspondence, while I needed to take meeting notes that were of technical topics, and for
classroom notes that were of a Biblical nature. (3) I couldn't use a laptop to take shorthand.
I was forced to write everything down on paper and then retype the full text in later.
THE SOLUTION: What I learned most from Gregg Shorthand was to think differently
about note taking. I could transfer some root concepts to a new shorthand method and
learn from both the strengths and weaknesses of several shorthand methodologies. The
goal was to create a system that would work with a keyboard (and automatically would be
reproducible by hand), could be read back quickly, and would use some phonetic techniques,
but sparingly. Phonetics would be used for homonyms since context would easily determine
the interpretation (e.g., the same abbreviation is used for "there," "their," and "they're").
CAVEATS: This is a personal system that makes perfect sense to me, but which you
may find difficult. Feel free to customize the technique and to substitute abbreviations
that are mnemonic for your paradigm.
This is the collection of symbols and abbreviations. Add or substitute your own
to meet your needs. A word may have more than one abbreviation, so use whichever
works best for you. The important issue is first to write quickly. The second
issue is that it must be interpreted later. Use standard abbreviations whenever
possible (e.g., "u std abbrevs"), but don't waste time putting a period after/amid
them unless omitting them would cause confusion. You can also make up abbreviations
on-the-fly if it will be readily understood within that context.
Punctuation & Symbols
A B C D
E F G H
I J K L
M N O P
Q R S T
U V W X
Y Z
8 -ate, -eight suffix: e.g., cr8 = create, ^r8 = over rate
- -ing suffix
) ch sound: e.g., )astz = chastise
)) church
) "call" when by itself
[ "sh" or "shun" sound, -tion suffix
] "ship" sound
/\ change (delta)
/ "Th" prefix or THE
\ -(n)ty, or -(n)tly suffix: e.g., re\ = recently
:= assign
^ over- prefix: ^priced = overpriced
_ under- prefix (an underline prefix): _tow = undertow
> great, greater, more
< less (also as a suffix): u< = useless, w/< = worthless
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arv arriv(e/al)
asap as soon as possible
asst assistant, assist, assistance
attn attention
auth authorized
auto automatically
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BB Bible
BBl Biblical
b be, by, be- prefix (bf = before, bgin = begin)
bal balance
bb bulletin board
bbs computer bulletin board system
bd birthda(y/te)
bday birthday
bf before (b=be, f=for)
bk book, -book, back
brk break
bro brother
btry battery
btw between
bul bulletin
bus business
bwd backward
bx Blue Cross/Blue Shield Insurance
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c can
c/o in care of
cal calendar
calc calculate, calculations
canc cancelled
cat catalogue
cd could
cf compare
cfg configure
char character
chg charge
chng change: see /\
chp chapter
circ circle, circular
ck check, cheque
cl class, classification
clk clerk
clr clear
cm come
cmd command
cnf conference (room)
co company
col column
coll collect
comb combine
cond condition
const construction, constant
cont continue(d)
contr contract
conv convert
coop cooperat(e/ive)
corp corporation
cp copy
cps characters per second
cr credit
cr8 create
ctrl control
cvt convert
cw clockwise
cy cycle
cx contrast
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d did, do, done, does
db debit
dbl double
dd delivered, delivery date
dec decrease
def definition, define
del delete
dept department
dev device, develop
df diff-, def-, difference, different
diag diagram
diff difference, different
dir director, directory, direction
dist distance
div divide(d by), division
dl download
dn down
dob date of birth
doc document
dup duplicate
dx diagnosis
dz dozen
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e and
ea each
ed emergency room/dept
eff effective, efficient
eg for example, example
elec electric(al/ity), electronic(ally)
em electronic mail
enc enclosed
encl enclosed
eng engineer(ing)
env envelope
eof end of file
eom end of month
eow end of week
eoy end of year
eq equal, equivalent
equip equipment
er emergency room/dept
err error
esc escape
esp especially
est estimat(e/ion)
eta estimated time of arriva
ev ever, every, even
ev- evening
exec executive
exp experience
ext extension
ey each year
ez easy
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f for
fd floppy drive
ff following
fin finish(ed)
fl floor
fld field
fm from
FOTO Focus On The Obvious
freq frequencey
func function
fut future
fwd foward
FY Fiscal Year
fyi for your information
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G God
g good
gen general, generic
gk greek
gnd ground
gr great
grp group
gtd guaranteed
gv give
gvt government
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h him, he, his, her, she, hers
hd head
hd hard drive, high density
hdr header
hf half
hi high
hm home
ho house
horiz horizontal(ly)
hosp hospital
hq headquarters
hr hour
ht height
hw hardware
HS Holy Spirit
hx history
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ib ibid (in the same place)
ID Identification
ie that is
ill illustration
imm immediately
imp implement(ation)
impt important
incl include(s/d)
incr incr
ind indicates
indf indefinite
inf information
init initialize(ation)
inq inquire, inquiry
ins insert
insp inspect
inst institution
instr instrument
int interior
inv invoice
iq the same as
IS information systems
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j just
jn join
jt joint
jul Julian, July
J Jesus
J.. Jehovah
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k keep, know
kb keyboard
kg knowledge, Kilogram
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lat latin
lc lowercase
ld load
lg large
lim limit
lk link, look
ll lines
lm left a message
ln line
lo low
lt light
ltd limited
lv leave, love
lvm left voice mail message
LXX Septuigant
L will
LL Lord
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-mt -ment suffix
m me, my, mine, myself
maj major
mfg manufacturer
mgr manager
mgt managment
mid middle
misc miscellaneous
mk mark
mkt market
mktg marketing
mo month
mod modify
mos months
mrg margin
msg message
mtg meeting
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n no, not, in
na not applicable, does not apply
nb note
ndx index
ne need(s)
nec necessary
neg negative
nf not found
ni not in, no answer
nm name
num number
nv never
nxt next
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o of
obj object
obs obsolete
occ occasional(lly)
off office
op opposite
opr operator
ops operations
ord order
orgz organize
orig origin(al/ally/s)
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p page
pd paid
periph peripheral
perm permanent
pers person[al]
pert pertaining to
pf prefers, preferred
ph phone
phys physical
pk pack
pkg package
pkt packet
pl plural, place, plain
pls please
pmt payment
pos position, positive
poss possession
pp pages
ppd prepaid
pq previous question
pr pair, price
prd period
prec preceeding
prep prepare
pres present
prin principle
priv private
prn print(er)
prob probably
proc procedure
prod produce
prs person
prv private
ps pseudo, false
pt point
pu pickup
purp purpose
pwr power
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q queue
qef which was to be done
qq question
qqs questions
qty quantity
qual quality
qv see also
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R+ Righteous[ness]
R- Unrighteous[ness]
r are, our
ra range
rcd received
rcp receipient
rcv receive
rcvd received
rec record
recog recognize
reg regular, register, registration
rel relative, relating
rep report, represent[ative,]
repl replace
req request
reqr requires
reqrr requester
res resident, resolution
resp responsible
ret return
rev revise, revision
rf refernce
rfr refer
rfrd referred
rm room, remove
rnd random
rnm rename
rr railroad
rt right
rvm received a voice mail message
rx prescription,solution
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S// Scripture(s)
S//l Scriptural
s is
s. see
satf satisfy
sev several
shd should
sit situation
sm some
sp spirit(ual)
spS special
spec specification, specify
st street
stat "stat!", status
stats statistics
std standard
subj subject
sw software
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t to
tia thanks in advance
tm time
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u used
uc uppercase
ud ut dictum (as directed)
ul upload
ult ultimately
usu usually
uu unused
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v have
val value
var variable
vend vendor
ver version
vert vertical(ly)
vm voice mail
vr very
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w with, we
wa what
wd would
wh where
wk work, week
wn when
wr were
wrd word
wt weight, wait
wcs worse case scenario
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x extension
xcpt except
xfr transfer
xo executive offices
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y you, your, yours
yr year
yst yesterday
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