dictating

Dictating is the act of speaking in order to have someone else write down or transcribe what is said, or, in a broader sense, to issue orders. In common usage, dictating refers to a speaker providing text to a secretary, transcriber, or voice-recognition system who types or records it verbatim. The term can also mean commanding or laying down rules, though this usage is distinct from transcription.

In traditional dictation, the speaker dictates a document to a listener who writes or types it, occasionally noting punctuation and capitalisation as cues. The listener may ask for clarifications, repeat phrases, or read back the draft for verification. The process relies on clear pronunciation, appropriate pacing, and familiarity with technical terms.

Historically, dictation has been integral to administrative work and professional writing. Before recording technology, secretaries used shorthand systems, stenography, and typewriters to capture spoken words. The rise of audio recording devices, then computer-based transcription, transformed the practice. In medical and legal settings, dictation remains common for creating records and correspondence, often with specialized terminology.

Modern practice often uses digital voice recorders and speech-to-text software, including AI-backed transcription. Some environments employ stenotype machines or dedicated transcription workflows that pair a keyboard with real-time captioning. Privacy, accuracy, and the potential for misinterpretation are important considerations when dictating sensitive information.

Dictating also appears as the verb dictate in political contexts, where a leader or authority may dictate terms or policies, though this sense is separate from transcription. Overall, dictation remains a method for converting spoken language into written text, balancing human judgment with technological aid.