Easy Roman Numeral Solution

Steno Wizard happened upon this Roman numeral idea at the very beginning of the realtime journey. This method is so easy to incorporate and will eliminate reporter hesitation in figuring out, oh, 10 -- hmm -- X or 5 -uh-V, etc.


Check this out. By incorporating the letter R- or -R on the keyboard with the strokes for the numbers 1 through 10 (at a minimum) or higher, and taking the time to define them into your steno database, you can be yet another step ahead in editing and look like a steno pro!

1-R I
2-R II
3-R III
4-R IV
5-R V
R-6 VI
R-7 VII
R-8 VIII
R-9 IX
10-R X
1E-R XI
12-R XII
13-R XIII
14-R XIV

and on and on...

More Philly Q&A Phrases

Steno Wizard loves phrasing! Phrasing is essential in our quest for speed. Realtime always improves when a reporter can keep up with the speaker.

How many HOUPL
How many times HOUPLTS
How many days HOUPLDZ
About how many PWOUPL
About how many times PWOUPLTS
About how many days PWOUPLDZ
How long HOUG
About how long PWOUG
How wide HOEUD
About how wide PWOEUD
How large HOURPBLG
About how large PWOURPBLG
How do you spell HOUP
How fast HOUFZ
About how fast PWOUFZ
How far HOUF
About how far PWOUF
How much HOUFP
Pretty much PREFP
About how much PWOUFP
How about HOUBT

Did you ever TKUFR
Did you ever see TKUFRZ
Did you ever say TKUFRS
Did you realize TKURLS
Did you recall TKURL
Did you remember TKUR or TKURPL
Did you have occasion TKUFGS
Did you ever have occasion TKUFRGS
Did you go TKUG
Did you feel TKUFL
Did you find TKUFD
Did you know TKUPB
Did you notice TKUPBTS
Did you understand TKUPBDZ
(of course TKO for all the do phrasing)

Is that correct STHARBGT
Isn't that correct STPHARBGT
Is that right STHART
Isn't that right STPHART
Is that true STHAR
Isn't that true STPHAR
Is that so STHAS
Isn't that so STPHAS

Sharing some Philadelphia Clinic Theory Phrases

Steno Wizard learned a smattering of brief phrases courtesy of the Philadelphia Clinic Theory (incorporating others picked up along the way) and thought it would be awesome to share these.

On the left-hand side of the keyboard...

KWRA I can't
KWREU I didn't
KWRU I couldn't
KWRAO I wouldn't
SKWRA you can't
SKWRO you don't
SKWRU you couldn't
SKWRAO you wouldn't

Then hook up these to the above strokes from the right-hand side of the keyboard...
-S say
-Z see
-NK think
-NKS think so
-MT mean to
-MTS mean to say
-BL believe
-BLS believe so
-NTS notice
-NDZ understand
-J imagine
-RKT recollect
-R remember
-RL recall
-RLS realize
-F have
-N know
-T tell
-TS tell us
-K care
-FG figure
-RZ recognize
-L like
-PT want

These are great for increasing Q&A speed.

Finally, the ANSWER

Steno Wizard has been learning some new techniques from Mark K. that maybe you'd like to know too. Life in the courtroom has become much easier as a result.

Try these on...

Yes, I did KWREUD
Yes, I do KWRAO
Yes, he did KWRAOED
Yes, she did KWRAOERBD
No, I didn't TPHEUPBT
No, I don't TPHOEPBT

Amazing, huh? Who knew!

Practicing

Steno Wizard has made a commitment as a working reporter to -- practice!?! Monday through Friday at least 15 minutes will be dedicated to practicing the steno craft.

Here's a list of my current briefs I'm working on. They are printed out and placed on my courtroom desk and my office desk where they are reviewed every single day until they're cemented into my brain.

ARPBGT arrangement
ARPBGTS arrangements
AOBG automatic
AO*FT automotive
P approximate
P-L approximately
P*G Pentagon
POELGT apologetic
POEPLD podium
PHEBLG mechanical
PHEP metropolitan
PHERBGT metric
PHEUPBLGT midget
PW-DZ beside
PWAOPBD abandon
KUFLD custodial
KUFPBD custodian
KEPLT contempt
KOEUPBS coincidence
KO*ERG category
KAUFGS causation
KAORT coordinate
KAORGS coordination
KHRABT collaborate
KWAOEPBS convenience
KWAOEPBT convenient
TKPHEUT admit
TKPHEUTD admitted
TKPHEUTS admits
TKPHEUGS admission
TKPHEUFBL admissible
TKPWRAEZ agrees
TKPWRAEBL agreeable
TKPWRAEPLTS agreements
SRO volunteer
SROZ volunteers
SROG volunteering
SROPL volume
SROPLZ volumes
SROER voluntary
SROERL voluntarily
SRAODZ avoids
SRAOBL avoidable
SPWELGS intelligence
SPWELGT intelligent
SPW*ELGT intelligently

How about that CRR?

The August CRR test was on Education and Certification, and the words that were given to the test candidates were kindergarten and Washington.

Steno Wizard writes several of the words that appeared on the exam in one stroke.

Education JAEGS
kindergarten K*G or KEUNTD
Washington WA*UG
certification SERGS
incentive SN*EFT
high school HAOL
contemporary KRAER

Can't think of any more right now...

Back from NCRA Convention!

Steno Wizard just returned from the Windy City! Many reporters, many ideas, and many briefs to share. Perhaps you were there. Spied a very impressive CART reporter at work -- very, very impressive. Finger spelling all those proper names that cropped up unexpectedly. Attended a Mark Kislingbury seminar and bought his book. So much to do, so much to incorporate. Of course, he also won the speed contest again.

Chicago SHEUG or KHEUG
education JAEGS
educational JAERBL
educationally JA*ERBL
strategic STRAEK
strategy STRAEG

View and way suffixes

Steno Wizard has thought of a new suffix to input into the ultimate realtime reporter's dictionary -- view. Think about how many words (usually proper nouns) end with the suffix view. There's Hillview, Lakeview, Riverview, Bayview, Broadview, Fairview, Clearview, on and on.

Wouldn't it be nice to be able to come up with a suffix solution that can be defined to cap the word it hooks up to (or not)?

Steno Wizard's software (brief - SWAER) has this ability.

Writing the word with the -FPLT bank included in the stroke can be defined as whatever the software's cap previous stroke command is with view. The steno for such an accomplishment is SRAOUFPLT, and then if one were to use the -RBGS instead, it can be defined without the cap previous stroke command.

This technique also be used for the suffix way. Think about it. Broadway, fairway, driveway, etc.

More briefs to share!

Here's some more briefs...enjoy!

Fantastic FAFK
Spectacular SPLAR
Particular PLAR
Peculiar KWLAR
Awesome AUFPL
Gruesome GRAOUFPL
Mechanism MEFPL
Mechanic MEK
Festival FEFL

How about some proper name briefs!

Jennifer JEUFR
Richard RIFPD
Joseph JOEF
Robert ROBT
Rodriguez ROGDZ
Kathy KAEGT
Cathy KRAEGT
Stacy STAES
Tammy TA*EM
Amy A*EM
Brian BRAO*EUN
Sandy SA*END
Randy RA*END
Brandy BRA*END
William W*EUM
Williams W*EUMZ
Nancy NA*ENS
Mary MA*ER
Harry HA*ER
Mohammed MO*EMD
Muhammed MAO*UMD

Quick solution to add -ly ending

Speed is an essential component to gaining control over and conquering the realtime challenge. This is a favorite tip Steno Wizard would like to pass along in the hopes you may also embrace it.   Add an asterisk to a one-stroke word and define it as the word with the -ly ending, and you'll be one stroke ahead of the game.  Take a peek at these.

Whew!  There's so many more, but you get the basic principle.

Absolute SLAOUT


Absolutely SLAO*UT

Actual TUL

Actually T*UL

Additional DEURBL

Additionally D*EURBL

Commercial KMERBL

Commercially KM*ERBL

Continual TEUNL

Continually T*EUNL

Criminal KREUNL

Criminally KR*EUNL

Emotional MOERBL

Emotionally MO*ERBL

Equal KWAUL

Equally KWA*UL

Essential SERBL

Essentially S*ERBL

Eventual VUL

Eventually V*UL

External SKERNL

Externally SK*ERNL

Final FAOEUNL

Finally FAO*EUNL

Financial F-NL

Financially F*NL

General JENL

Generally J*ENL

Gradual GRAUL

Gradually GRA*UL

Hopeful HOEFL

Hopefully HO*EFL

Initial NEURBL

Initially N*EURBL

Judicial JEURBL

Judicially J*EURBL

Mental MENL

Mentally M*ENL

Natural NAURL

Naturally NA*URL

Official FEURBL

Officially F*EURBL

Partial PARBL

Partially PA*RBL

Personal PERNL

Personally P*ERNL

Realistic RAOEFK

Realistically RAO*EFK

Sexual SWAUL

Sexually SWA*UL

Social SOERBL

Socially SO*ERBL

Substantial STARBL

Substantially STA*RBL

Traditional TRARBL

Traditionally TRA*RBL

Ultimate ULT

Ultimately *ULT

Universal KWRAOUFRL

Universally KWRAO*UFRL

Unusual TPHAOURBL

Unusually TPHAO*URBL

Visual VEURBL

Visually V*EURBL

Resolving site, sight, cite

Steno Wizard's solution to this triple whammy is actually fairly easy to incorporate into your writing style.

Steno Wizard strokes site as SAOEUT -- fairly easy.  Then the word sight, Steno Wizard brings in the G key, SAOEUGT -- kind of a visual spelling idea.  The word cite is solved by using the KR- combination (alphabet C), KRAOEUT -- also a visual spelling idea.

Hopefully, this principle -- carried through -- will also resolve incite and insight.

Change can be good

In Steno Wizard's journey to realtime perfection (is there such a thing?), it has become necessary to change some of the very basic steno briefs which were taught in theory class.

Here's some to ponder over.

WORD, the original steno theory brief, and the necessary modification
bottom,  PWOPL (bomb - duh!), PWOPLT

natural,  TPHARL, TPHAURL
(gnarl - actually had gnarly come up in depo, of course ended up with naturally)

jurisdiction, SKWRURD (conflict with injured), SKWRURGS

substance, STAPBS (stance), STAUPBS

today,  TOD (stacking error with "-ed to" CONSTANTLY) ,  TKAE

counsel,  KOUPB, KOUPBS
(when I wanted count, I'd get counsel due to weak pinkie - GRRR)

bases,  PWAEUSZ (same as basis),  PWAESZ

much,  -FP  (also the -ch ending),  PHUFP
(still use "very much" SR-EFP and "too much" TAOFP)

New York, TPHORBG (problem with no comma), TPHOERBG
New York City, TPHORBGS (same), TPHOERBGS

Maybe these ideas will spare you some of the headaches that Steno Wizard has experienced.

More favorite briefs

Here's some lovely briefs to share...

exposure SKPOER
composure KPOER
closure KHROER
foreclosure TPROER
disclosure STKHROER
guideline TKPWHRAOEUPB
shareholder SHAEURLD
portfolio POEUFL
credit union KROEUPB
proprietary PRAERT
entrepreneur TPHERP

Scent, sent, cent solutions

This set of conflicts is a troublesome triple when it comes to realtime writing. Steno Wizard's solution is through the use of spelling visualization for resolution.

Sent is easy enough. Just stroke it the way you normally would SEPBT. Scent is resolved by incorporating the initial side C - KR- into the stroke. Steno Wizard learned the word extent as SKEPBT and likes it too much to toss aside, so scent is written SKREPBT. Cent is then resolved by just using the C - KR- as the beginning of the word, KREPBT.

If you have your prefix De- resolved and defined (which Steno Wizard writes TKAOE -- long E ALWAYS), you will also have resolutions for decent and descent. What more can a realtime reporter ask for! Dissent -- not a problem if you've got that dis- suffix resolved (TKEUS) or just write dissent in one stroke STKEPBT or even STKEUPBT if you must.

Simple fix

Steno theory taught Steno Wizard to stroke the word "support" as SPORT, which it is obvious right away what the problem will be as a realtime reporter.

The asterisk key wasn't helping to differentiate because when testimony gets going fast, that's the first thing out the window!

So...the simple fix for this is "support" is now written SPOERT, carrying through to all of its various derivatives, and this theory problem is s-o-l-v-e-d.

Timesaver: compound adjectives with -to-

Steno Wizard hopes we all have ways to write to, too, and two conflict-free and would like to share another tip that is sure to save you editing time.

Define TO* as (delete space)-to-(delete space). This "to" comes in handy in many situations. Imagine the hyphens as arms. The asterisk is the two hands coming together to 'hug' the words together.

Start incorporating it and pretty soon it will become second nature.

Here's some examples of situations you may come across:

Honest-to-goodness savings
Back-to-basics situation
Easy-to-apply cream
head-to-toe exam
back-to-school sale
down-to-earth person
right-to-life organizer
soup-to-nuts inventory
up-to-date news
face-to-face meeting
person-to-person communication
top-to-bottom search

There's probably many more out there.

Update:  Just heard this one on television:  need-to-know basis.  Bada-bing!

Beyond a reasonable doubt and yard

Theory had us stroking KWRARD as beyond a reasonable doubt -- which is the same as yard. Then realtime seminars were suggesting the asterisk being inserted into the brief phrase.

While paging through a school's theory book, Steno Wizard spied an even better solution. Beyond a reasonable doubt can be written KWRORD. Conflict easily resolved!

Resolving balance, ball, bawl

Steno Wizard learned the brief for "balance" as PWAL - ball - back in court reporting school. Obviously, that brief automatically creates a conflict and so it goes that it must be resolved for realtime writing.

A suggestion is to change the way to brief the word "balance" to PWALS. Pretty easy to implement. Balances is written PWALSZ, and balanced as PWALSD (if you're familiar with the Philadelphia shift) or two strokes PWALS/-D. Balanced is entered both ways in Steno Wizard's main dictionary (or steno database as a wiser realtimer once suggested calling a steno dictionary).

Changing the brief for balance enables us to now use PWAL exclusively as ball, and now bawl can be stroked as PWAUL. Multiple conflicts fixed!

Needing some direction?

Steno Wizard has easy-to-write solutions for all those pesky directional words to share. Try these!


S*B - southbound
TPH*B – northbound
E*B – eastbound
W*B – westbound
North – TPHORGT
Northeast - TPHAOEFT
Northwest - TPHERS
Northern - TPHOERPB
Northeastern - TPHAOERPB
Northwestern - TPHERPB
South – SOUGT
Southeast – SAOEFT
Southwest - SWEFT or SWES
Southern - SOERPB
Southeastern - SAOERPB
Southwestern – SWERPB
East - AOEFT
Eastern - AOERPB
West - WES
Western - WERPB

Sharing a way to get those middle initials!

An easy way to define and write the middle initials in people's names is by using the flag alphabet -FPLT and dragging the final side -R key under the -F key in. Steno Wizard likes to think of the "R" in the word peRiod as being fairly prominent, and so it's easy to remember and incorporate in everyday writing.

All 26 letters, of course, should be defined with the period and the space that follows. You may want to also include the command to capitalize the next word in the definition. What a potential timesaver!

So it's A-FRPLT as A.
PW-FRPLT as B.
KR-FRPLT as C.
etc.

Enjoy.