shorthand system using the letters of the alphabet and punctuation marks. The name is a registered trademark for the system devised in the United States by Emma Dearborn about 1924. In Speedwriting, words are written as they sound, and only long vowels are expressed. Thus, “you” is written u, and “file” is fil. Some letters are modified for speed (e.g., the i is not dotted). The system also uses abbreviations and flourishes. One flourish is the underscoring of a final letter to express “ing.” Speedwriting is considered easier to learn but not as rapid as the Pitman or Gregg shorthand systems, which use symbols rather than longhand letters.

The system is taught in several languages (including German, Afrikaans, Spanish, and Italian) in 28 countries.