Contractions - Optional

The shorthand dictionary gives some words that have a choice of full outline or optional contraction/alternative version. I have found no shorthand book that lists all these words and the following has been prepared by searching every page of the large shorthand dictionary.

Included in the list are some single stroke outlines which are better described as optional short forms, and some, being vocalised as normal, are alternative outlines rather than contractions. The list is mostly in alphabetical order but I have grouped some similar ones together. All the variations that use the contraction are given, but other derivatives are not, except for a few illustrative examples.

Sir Isaac Pitman intended his shorthand to suit a variety of uses, from the leisurely writing of diaries and letters to the faster writing of reporters and office workers. In those early days of shorthand, many short forms and contractions were given as alternatives to the full forms, to enable reporters to speed up. Since then, speed has become the main goal and many of the contractions became the standard outline, with the full forms being dropped from the dictionaries. Others contractions fell from use and their full outlines are now standard. In the last version of the large dictionary (1974) there remain some that still have a choice of outlines and these are given here.

It is not necessary to know all of these, but those for the commoner words are very well worth adopting. Providing you are at a comfortable place in your knowledge of shorthand, there is no reason to hang on to a longer version of an outline. Some are more specialised, and a few are obviously relics of topics prevalent in the 19th century when they were first created. Even these can be educational by observing their formation and applying the same methods to create new contractions for your particular line of work. Your own creations should always be recorded in a notebook and only adopted after very careful consideration as to possible clashes – not advised for beginners. Efforts to recall an obscure seldom-used contraction will produce hesitation rather than speed.

Contraction outlines are in black ink, full outlines are in blue ink. The omitted part is shown in red text. Words represented by the same contraction are separated by a forward slash. Those marked with asterisk * have related outlines on the Contractions Main page.

Just like the Main Contractions, the suffix -ing is generally represented by a dot (even when the alternative full outline has stroke Ing), but those few contractions using the stroke are illustrated in the list.

Several placenames are given the end of the list.

I recommend the following as immediately useful as soon as your knowledge of shorthand theory covers them:

businessman, development, electronic, extraordinarily, extraordinary, Great Britain, greatest, longest, New York, New York City, percent, possibility, question, strongest, unfortunate, unfortunately, United Kingdom, United States, United States of America, worthwhile, youngest, quarter, question

Amendments 16 July 2013: Several discrepancies have been found in the largest 1974 red dictionary, in comparison with the dictionaries produced before and after it, and so the outlines here have been corrected (see also Contractions Main page):

These should be in 2nd position on the line:
horticulture/al, horticulturist, hypothecate/d, inauspicious, inauspiciously, indescribable/ly, jurisprudence, machinery, scornful, scornfully, significancy, unscriptural, vice-chairman.

abnormality	Alternative outline, not contraction
ad valorem
affidavit
agriculture/agricultural
agriculturist	Full outlines required for: agriculturalist agricultor
antagonism/antagonist/antagonistic
antitrinitarian
applicable
arbitrament*
archbishop
archbishopric
archiepiscopacy
architective*
aristocratic/aristocracy
astonish/astonished/astonishment	Safe for the noun "astonishment". Ensure the En is written clearly full length, to differentiate from "astound"
astonishing
astonishingly
astringency*
atonement*	Contraction is the same as attainment (Theory 20 Suffixes page)
aurora borealis
auspicious
auspiciously
inauspicious
inauspiciously
bandstand	Alternative outline, not contraction
banknote
baptise/baptised/ Baptist/baptism
rebaptise/rebaptised/rebaptism
beforehand	Alternative outline, not contraction Using short form "hand"
benevolence/benevolent
benevolently
benignant/benignity
benignantly
bondsman	Compare with these full outlines: bondman bondwoman bondmaid
brotherhood
burdensome
burdensomeness
overburdensome	Using short form "over"
businessman, businesswoman Top of page	Write the contraction clearly through the line, so that it does not look like "busman" or "postman"
cabinet
Calvinism
captain
captainship	In the full outline, the Ish is disjoined so that it does not look like the suffix "-cy": captaincy
casual	Full outlines required for: casually casuals (= a type of shoe)
Catholic
Roman Catholic
charter-party
Chiltern Hundreds
chloroform	Pronunciation of the first vowel may vary
Christian/Christianity
clearing house	"Clearing" on its own has dot ing, as per normal rules
Cobdenism
controversy/controversial	The full outline for "ConTROversy" with the accent on the second syllable would be above the line with a first place dash vowel "Controversialist" is a full outline
co-religionist
cosmopolitanism
counterclaim	"Counter" on its own as per normal rules: counter
covenant*	Care needed with the Kay, keeping it thin, as these outlines are similar to govern and government
declaration
defendant
delinquency
delinquent
democracy/democratic
undemocratic
depreciate/depreciated
depreciatory
descriptive* Top of page	Full outline required for: descriptively
dessertspoonful	Keep the Ray short, otherwise the contraction will look like "disrespectful"
development	The dictionary outline for the verb "develop" is in full only, but using the above contraction for that word presents no problem
dignify/dignified/dignity	Full outline required for: indignity
undignified	Compare indignant below
dilapidate/dilapidated/ dilapidation
discontentment*	See also contentment (Contractions Main page)
dissimilar
divergency	Pronunciation of the first vowel may vary: "dyve-" or "divv-
doctrine
doctrinaire
doctrinal	Pronunciation of the second vowel may vary: "doc-try-nal"
drunkenness
dyspepsia/dyspeptic Top of page	The full version of dyspepsia should always have the final diphone written in, to differentiate from "dyspepsy" Full outline required for: dyspepsy
ecclesiastic/ecclesiastical/ ecclesiastically	"Ecclesiastes" (Bible book) is a full outline, but the contraction would be useful for noting Bible reference numbers
electron*
electronic*
embankment
enthronement/enthronement	Alternative outline, not contraction. The first version seems to be more reliable, as the second one is very similar to "enthroning" which has the same meaning: enthroning
episcopal/episcopalian/episcopalianism
Esperanto
evangelical	The pronunciation of the first syllable may vary: "eev-"
exchanger*
expectation*
expeditiously*	Full outline required for "expeditious"
extemporaneous
extemporaneously
extraordinary
extraordinarily
extravagance/extravagant /extravagantly
favourable/favorable	Full outline required for "unfavourably/unfavorably" Compare: verbal verbally
favourably/favorably
finality	Alternative outline, not contraction
foundation-stone
fugitive
fulgency	Pronunciation of the first vowel may vary - when rhyming with "full", write the dash through the end of the Eff and outline in 3rd position
generation	In phrasing, "J-Shun" can also be used to signify "objection"
degeneration
regeneration
ginger
governor*
vice-governor
governor-general Using short form
governorship Top of page
grand-juror	Ensure the two Rays are long and clear, to prevent confusion with "grand-jury"
grand-jury	Advisable to insert the final dot
greatest	Using the short form "great"
habeas corpus
haphazard	"haphazardly" is a full outline, but using the contraction with a joined upward Ell would work just as well
harbinger
henceforth*	See henceforward (Contractions Main page)
thenceforth*	See thenceforward (Contractions Main page)
high-pressure Top of page	Some older dictionaries retain the I diphthong after the Hay on the contraction
horticulture/horticultural	Full outline required for: horticultor
horticulturist
hypothecate/hypothecated	The full outline for "hypothecate" does not use a halved Kay because the angle with the Ith would be insufficient for it to be clear
imperialism	See also Methodism which is similar
impregnable/impregnably
indefatigable/indefatigably
indescribable/indescribably
indignant/indignation	Compare undignified above
indignantly
indiscriminate
indiscriminately
indoctrinate
indoctrinated
indoctrination
inflationary
disinflationary
infinitesimal
inspector-general	Using short form "general". Full outline required for "inspector" (Contractions Main page)
insularity	Alternative outline, not contraction - dictionary is missing the initial dot on the first version
intelligencer*
intelligential*
intelligibility*
intemperance
ironmaster*	See also ironmonger (Contractions Main page)
ironmould*	Alternative outline, not contraction
journalism
journalist
journalistic
jurisprudence* Top of page	Full outline required for "jurisprudent"
juxtaposition	Full outline required for "juxtapose"
lance-corporal	"Corporal" is the contracted part, therefore "lance" keeps its vowel sign
landmark	Alternative intersection, not contraction
life assurance	The intersection for "insurance" is En+Circle S
locomotive
longest
longitude
lordship	Combination of short form "lord" and contracted suffix "ship"
machinery
malignant/malignancy	Full outline required for: malignantly
man-of-war
melancholy	Full outline required for: melancholia
merchantman
sergeant-major
Methodism	See also "imperialism" which is similar
microscopic
millionth	Not recommended, although given as above in the biggest dictionary. The stroke Em is used for "million" when written with numerals, and you cannot add an Ith because that is used for "thousand"
mineralogy
misdemeanour
motherhood
mother-of-pearl
mythology
neighbourhood/neighborhood	Keep the halved BR stroke short, so it does not look like "neighbour/neighbor"
nitrogen	Always insert the first vowel in the outline for "antigen" and keep clearly above the line
non-commissioned officer
nonconformist
nonconformity
obnoxious
obnoxiously
obscurity
observation
orthodox/orthodoxy
parallelogram
parliamentarian*
particularise	The short form "particular" is written above the line
particularised
particularising
particularism	Using short form "particular"
percent Top of page	The contraction is written close to the preceding numeral. Full outline is used after a preceding outline, whether that is a word or a number
philanthropic/philanthropy
philanthropist
phonographer
phonographic	Contraction not recommended, as it could be confused with the similar outline “phonic” which is now in use: phonic
phonography
plenipotentiary
possibility
practitioner*
preferential/preferentially	"Preference" uses N Hook/Circle S
Presbyterian/Presbyterianism
preservation
priesthood	The full outline omits the lightly-sounded T
Privy Council	Alternative intersection, not contraction
projection* Top of page
Protestantism	The vowel sign for the "e" cannot be shown in the vocalised outline, as there is nowhere to place it
publican*
pungency
qualification	Compare "cultivation" which is similar and best to insert the vowel through the Kay for clarity: cultivation
quarter	Full outline required for: quartering See also Vocabulary Numbers/quarter for a brief method when used with numerals
question*	Full outline required for: questioning questioningly
question-mark	Alternative intersection, not contraction
quotation-marks	Alternative intersection, not contraction
recognizance	The pronunciation can be either "recog-" or "recon-" and is related to the word recognise. The latter pronunciation is identical to "reconnaissance" below: recognise reconnoitre reconnaissance recognizance = a legal obligation reconnoitre reconnaissance = carry out a preliminary geographical or military survey.
referring
reformation	See also reform (Contractions Main page)
registrar
religion	Alternative short form, not contraction
religious	Alternative short form, not contraction
religiously	Alternative short form, not contraction
repugnant/repugnance
repugnantly
requesting* Top of page
resignation
resurrection
reverend	The contraction is for "reverend" but the full outline also represents "reverent"
revivalism
Saviour/saviour	Compare: saver
scornful	scorn is written with Hook N
scornfully
scripture	Alternative short form, not contraction
scriptural
unscriptural	The contraction is shown incorrectly on the line in the 1974 dictionary
antiscriptural
search-party	Alternative intersection, not contraction
ship-builder
significancy	The contraction is shown incorrectly through the line in the 1974 dictionary
solicitor-general	Using short form "general"
stag-party	Alternative intersection, not contraction
stenographer
stenography
stepping-stone	"Stepping" on its own uses dot ing
stock-in-trade	Using short form "trade"
strongest	Alternative outline, not contraction. Unlike "longest", the dictionary shows a vowel in both versions
stumbling-block
subjectivism
subjectivity
superscribe/superscribed	Compare subscribe/d on Contractions Main page
superscription	Compare subscription on Contractions Main page
surreptitious
surreptitiously
suspicious*
suspiciously
unsuspicious
unsuspiciously Top of page
tabernacle
testatrix
third-party	Alternative intersection, not contraction
thumb-mark	Alternative intersection, not contraction
tidemark	Alternative intersection, not contraction
tinsmith	In the full outline, note the Circle S is inside the Em, as it belongs with that syllable.
town-council
townsman	In the full outline, note the Circle S is inside the En, as it belongs with that syllable.
trademark	Alternative intersection, not contraction Using short form "trade"
transatlantic
transform/transformed
transformation	Compare "transfer" which omits the N: transfer transferrer
transformer
transubstantiate/transubstantiation	The full outline also omits the N
transubstantiated	A Dee may be written to any contraction or short form if felt necessary to increase clarity, but this appears to be the only word where it is part of the dictionary outline. Other contractions are perfectly legible without it. Adding the stroke is not part of normal theory (unlike Pitman 2000 which does use it regularly).
tribunal
unconstitutional/unconstitutionally
under-secretary	Using short form "under"
unfortunate	Same outline as "phenomena"
unfortunately
phenomena	Same outline as "unfortunate" See also inconvenient (Contractions Main page) which is similar
phenomenon
Union Jack
unionism
unionist
trades-unionism	Using short form "trade" Compare: trade-union trades-union trade-unionism union
unrealizable
urgency*
utilitarianism
vegetarian
vegetarianism
vice-chairman
vice versa
watermark	Alternative intersection, not contraction
way-mark	Alternative intersection, not contraction The full outline uses the R hook rather than Ray, in order to achieve a better join with the Way.
worthwhile
youngest	Using short form
Top of page Placenames:
Antarctic
Birmingham	British version: omits the H sound US version: use Dot Hay Ensure you keep the two Ems, as in UK locals sometimes refer to their city as "Brum", from "Brummagem" the alternative name used in that area.
Great Britain	Using short form "great"
Jodrell Bank	Alternative intersection, not contraction (=Jodrell Bank Astrophysics Centre, UK)
Johannesburg	"Jo'burg" would be a full outline
San Francisco	The abbreviation " 'Cisco " would be just the last part of the full outline
Liverpool
Middlesex
New York
New York City
Transylvania
United Kingdom	Use only when the words are spoken in full
United States	Use only when the words are spoken in full
United States of America	Use only when the words are spoken in full The full outline phrase omits "of"

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"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things." (Philippians 4:8)

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