shorthand

Shorthand is fast handwriting using abbreviations and squiggles instead of full letters. But the phrase carries ancient DNA—it traces back to Tironian notes, a system invented for the Roman orator Cicero that could handle 13,000 symbols. The real fame came centuries later: Samuel Pepys, who wrote his legendary diary (1660-1669) entirely in shorthand, capturing the Great Fire of London and royal gossip that would've taken normal handwriting three times longer. The speed advantage made shorthand essential for court reporters and secretaries until tape recorders arrived in the 1960s. Pitman shorthand (1837, UK) and Gregg shorthand (1888, dominated the US) were the heavyweight systems, taught in every business school. Now it's a ghost skill—a reminder that technology makes expertise obsolete fast. See more at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shorthand