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In addition to the strokes, the sounds of ST and
STER can be represented by loops. This page also describes how to
write these sounds when the loops cannot be used.
STEE LOOP
Size and shape
Placement and use
With R Hook on straight strokes
With N Hook on straight strokes
When not to use
Derivatives
STER LOOP
Size and shape
Placement and use
With N Hook on straight strokes
Circle S following
When not to use
Derivatives
See Theory 2 Vowels page for
vowel placement for
strokes that have loops.
-
Both loops are
applied to the stroke in the same way as Circle S.
-
Stee represents the
sounds ST, and also ZD finally.
-
Ster represents the
sounds ST + slurred vowel + R.
-
No vowel comes
between the S and T sounds.
-
Stee can be used at
the beginning, middle and end of an outline.
-
Ster can be used in
the middle and end only.
-
Read first and
last.
-
The name Stee is
for convenience only, any vowel can come before or after it.
-
The name Ster does
approximate to the vowel it contains i.e. slurred and
unaccented.
-
The loops
themselves are never vocalised – with Stee there is no vowel and
with Ster the vowel is always slurred.
-
There are no thick
versions.
-
Can be combined
with R and N Hooks on straight strokes, but no other hooks.
-
Can be followed by
Circle S.
STEE LOOP
Size and shape
The loop should be shallow, closed and extend half
the length of the stroke. Keep the final part flattened so that it
does not look like Circle S. Ensure it is closed so that it does not
look like a hook. If the stroke is halved, then the Stee loop is
half of that length:
stiff fist stiffest, mist midst, steam steamed
state stated, study studied, stopped stored didst
(archaic)
On a doubled stroke, the loop remains the same
size as on normal length strokes:
stamper stinker stentor
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Placement and use:
Write on the same side as Circle S:
stop stub stood stitch stage stick stag
stuff stove stethoscope Staithes stem stump stone sting
steal store storm stern story/storey stereo
paste best toast tossed dust deduced just chest cost guest
fast vast atheist lithest essayist ceased sauced zest schist lushest
fascist
must warmest imposed nest honest west yeast haste
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Can also represent the sound ZD finally:
posed
buzzed abused dazed cruised refused
mused nosed raised whizzed
When used finally, there does not have to be a
vowel before the ST:
lapsed traipsed waltzed blitzed
Stee loop is used medially after Tee Dee Jay Ell,
where it makes a good join with a clear angle (but also see
derivatives note below):
testing dusting adjusting fantastic statistics artistic logistics
elastic stylistic
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With other strokes, the join is not so good, or
cannot be made, so these use dot "-ing" or Circle S and Tee:
posting boasting fasting listing misting nesting wasting Hastings
posted boasted tasted dusted fasted listed misted nested wasted
customer fastidious instead plastic obstacle obstinate hostile
Dot "con-" can precede the loop:
constellation consternation constipated constitute constituted
Sometimes a medial lightly-sounded T is omitted
from the outline, therefore just Circle S is used:
last lastly, post postal, vast vastly vastness,
most (short form)
mostly
firstly first-rate mistake procrastinate
institute
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In compound words, even though the second word
normally uses the loop, it is quicker to write one outline with full
strokes – loops by nature involve a change of direction, whereas
consecutive strokes keep the movement going forward more quickly; a
speed-reducing pen-lift is also avoided:
book store bookstore, live stock livestock
up stairs upstairs, out stare outstare, stick mahlstick
The following do not follow the normal rule about keeping the strokes of derivative parts separate
but the convenience of the outlines prevails:
candle stick candlestick hail
storm hailstorm
Do not be misled by the longhand spelling, where
the T is silent:
pestle bustle castle gristle nestle*
whistle
*Note the Circe S in "nestle" looks like a Stee
loop, but it is not, this is merely a distortion of the circle when
it is written between the two curves. A medial stee loop never
crosses the outline.
chasten christen glisten listen fasten hasten
Do not confuse with TS:
post pots, fast fats, toast tots, chest chats, must moats, waste
waits
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With R Hook on straight
strokes
The ST is read first, then the stroke with its R
Hook next. There is always a vowel sound between initial Stee loop
and the stroke. The R Hook is used in these cases because the vowel
before the R sound is indeterminate:
stopper stutter stitcher stager sticker stagger
With N Hook on straight
strokes
The stroke with its N Hook are read first, and the
ST read last. There is no vowel between the N sound and the ST:
pounced bounced tensed danced chanced rinsed winced enhanced
Where there is a vowel between the N sound and the
ST, these outlines are derivatives using a full stroke En:
run runny runniest, puny puniest, brain brainy brainiest
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Circle S
following
Circle S can be added after Stee loop by
continuing the motion, writing the small circle on the other side of
the stroke:
posts tests guests masts nests lists arrests rests
If there is a vowel before the last S, Stee loop
is not used:
hosts hostess, pastes pasties, beasts beasties
Circle S never precedes Stee loop:
cistern system cystic sustain Sistine sister
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When not to use
If the ST sounds are the only consonantal sounds
in the word:
stay stow sit east oust iced asset
Derivates of the above type of word retain the
original outline and do not take Stee loop (but see also
below**):
stay stayer staying
(compare with
stair and
sting)
stow stowing stower
(compare with store)
**The
past tense of words
beginning with ST does however use the Stee loop, to avoid
ending up with two full strokes:
stayed/staid stowed stewed
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For the combination STR, use Circle S and stroke T
with R Hook:
stray strayed straying strayer straw construe strain construct
obstruct mistrust
If a vowel occurs between the S and T:
best beset, test tacit, deposed deposit
faced facet, vest visit, star seater satire
If there is a vowel before an initial ST or after
a final ST:
astound astonish astray astute esteem estate pasta chesty majesty
gusto
feisty vista misty nasty lusty rusty Westie yeasty hasty
When the ST precedes a stroke with a hook that
cannot be combined with the loop, then Circle S and Tee must be
used. The hooked form is used because the vowel is unaccented:
staple stipple stable stubble stickle stifle
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Do not use initially to Ess or Ish
stasis Stacy apostasy stash station
Before upward RT or a triphone, use Circle S and
Tee:
start starting started
(derivative: starter)
Stortford steward stewardess Stewart/Stuart
Cannot be written initially to Way, Yay, Hay, Kwa
or Gwa
Cannot be written on a Shun Hook:
perfectionist expressionist
Not used at the end of doubled strokes – use a
halved Ess:
tenderest
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Derivatives
Derivatives generally follow on from the original
outline wherever possible, whilst a word that has a similar
consonant structure may be written differently because it is either
not a derivative of anything, or derived from a different outline:
majesty majestic
compare with
logistics
taste tasty tastiness
compare with
testings
dust dusty dustiness
compare with
dustings
stiff stiffly stuffy stuffily
compare with
stifle
stick sticky stickily
compare with
stickle
stub stubby stubbily
compare with
stubbly
stain stains stained
compare with
stand standard stunt stint constant stance
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STER LOOP
Size and shape
This is a large loop, written two thirds the
length of the stroke, and fuller than the Stee loop. Keep the final
part flattened so that it does not look like Circle Ses. Ensure the
loop is closed that it is does not look like Shun Hook. It is not
used on halved or doubled strokes.
Placement and use
Write on the same side as Circle S:
poster brewster bluster Webster lobster taster truster duster
roadster
coaster cluster chorister huckster Baxter Manchester adjuster
register
foster vaster investor ancestor Cirencester*
shyster
(*This town name does have several other
traditional local pronunciations)
master semester minister imposter hamster dumpster
nester sinister songster gangster Lester/Leicester Ulster bolster
burster
roster forester barrister waster southwester souwester Hester
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Can be used medially, only if there is a good
join:
masterpiece fosterer upholsterer bolsterer Chesterfield
but Chesterton
Stroke Ing cannot be added after Ster loop,
therefore use dot "-ing":
fostering bolstering ministering blusterings
For "-ingly" use all full strokes (the strokes for
"-ingly" are often used disjoined elsewhere in shorthand, when a
join is not possible):
blusteringly
Ster loop not used on doubled or halved strokes.
The following are not doubled strokes, but two of the same stroke in
succession:
popster*
Chichester
(*not in dictionary)
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With N Hook on straight
strokes
The stroke and its N Hook are read first, and the
Ster read last. There is no vowel between the N and the Ster:
punster spinster Dunster
Where there is a vowel between the N sound and the
Ster, the full stroke En is used:
banister canister Glennister
Circle S
following
Circle S can be added after Ster loop by
continuing the motion, writing the small circle on the other side of
the stroke:
posters masters fosters adjusters registers
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When not to use
If ST-R are the only consonantal sounds in the
word:
aster Esther Easter oyster store stir Stour
If there is a clear vowel between the ST and the
R:
posture pasteurise moisture mixture Finisterre posterior posterity
If a vowel follows and/or there is no vowel
between the ST and R:
extra history mystery songstress blustery
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Derivatives
When a D sound follows, the Ster loop cannot be
written medially and so the outline uses Circle S and TRD:
pestered blustered upholstered bolstered mastered
registered fostered clustered rostered
There are very few cases where Ster is used medially,
and in derivatives the outine generally uses Circle S and T or TR:
ministerial, ministry
ministration (contractions),
ministered ministrant (R omitted)
assist assister*
(note
sister) assistant, Gloucester Gloucestershire, dexter dextrous
(*not in dictionary, I have based this on
"ancestor")
yester
but
yesterday (contraction),
yesteryear yesternight
master
but
master-key
Words like "master-key" may equally well be written
as separate words (both in shorthand and in transcription), as the
hyphenation of pairs of words is not strictly fixed and can be
changeable, according to the differing opinions of dictionary
editors, as well as custom and fashion. However, writing one outline
is quicker than writing two.
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