Anyone here use the stenotype/stenograph?

[Fassa Albrecht]

Already asked this in another forum but I might get better answers here.

Anyone here know how to use a stenotype machine? It's one of those things you see in courtrooms that looks like a little piano. Are they easy to use?

Anyone?

[Stumbo]

Short answer: No, it's not easy to use.

Long answer: To become a stenographer takes many thousands of hours of practice. It's not some kind of a typewriter. It's more of a short-hand type thing. You have to be extremely proficient in the language (English), have a system of symbols that you understand and can input like breathing (w/o thinking). It's like being an expert in a foreign language. Plus you have to input in real time and it's difficult sometimes when different accents are involved.

Then you have to transcribe your notes so that the court has an official record of its hearings. If you don't get it right, then everyone in court is screwed. Lots of liability.

PS. A family member just went through steno school. She didn't make it.

[GeneralElectric]

A friend's girlfriend does it. From what I understand its knowing everything about English and then putting it in some type of shorthand that you make up, and you have to transcribe it back to English. And you have to get it right. Every time.