Ever since man first began to use the letters of the alphabet he has tried to make writing as rapid an act as possible, to keep up with human speech at its normal speed.
The first stenographer, or shorthand writer, was Tiro, the Greek secretary of the famous ancient Roman orator, Cicero, Modern shorthand, however, began in England when Dr. Timothy Bright published his book on the subject in 1588. Many systems using symbols instead of letters and words were later invented.
People normally say 180 words a minute, when they speak. Most shorthand writers can write down 120 words a minute, and the highest speeds are about 350 words but these can only be kept up for short periods. Pitman and Gregg, named after their inventors, are also machines that write shorthand: they resemble adding machines and are operated by keys.
Picture Credit : Google