dictation

Dictation is the act of speaking words so that another person or a machine can transcribe them into written text. It is used in business, education, medicine, law, and many other fields to produce documents, notes, or transcripts. In traditional settings, a speaker dictates aloud to a stenographer or secretary, who writes the words in shorthand or longhand and later transcribes them into a final manuscript. Punctuation and capitalization may be indicated by the speaker, by the transcriber during review, or by reference to the surrounding text.

Historically, dictation relied on skilled shorthand and transcription workflows. The advent of typewriters, recording devices, and later digital audio and voice-recognition software transformed the practice. Modern dictation often combines a human transcriber with audio recordings, or uses automated speech-to-text systems that generate draft text for later editing. Specialized forms exist, such as medical dictation and legal dictation, which require domain-specific terminology and strict confidentiality.

Applications include drafting letters and reports, creating patient records, and producing court transcripts. Dictation can be faster than typing and can aid accessibility for people who have difficulty writing by hand. However, accuracy varies with language, accent, pronunciation, background noise, and the use of homophones; it typically requires proofreading and editing. Privacy and data-security considerations apply when dictation involves sensitive information. In education, dictation may be used as a learning exercise or assessment.