gyorsírás

Gyorsírás, or shorthand, is a family of writing systems designed to record speech rapidly by using abbreviated symbols, contractions, and phonetic representations. Unlike ordinary writing, which reflects full spelling, shorthand aims to capture the sounds and structure of spoken language as efficiently as possible. Systems vary, but most rely on letters, strokes, or symbols that stand for sounds, syllables, words, or phrases. Some employ a contracted alphabet in which common word parts are written with single signs; others use a more phonetic approach that maps spoken forms to a compact set of signs.

Shorthand has a long history as a practical tool for note-taking in business, journalism, and court reporting. It supports high writing speeds and rapid transcription, but requires training and regular practice. In the 20th century, many traditional pen-based systems were complemented or replaced in some contexts by stenotype machines and later by voice-to-text technologies; today, shorthand continues to be used where fast, immediate transcription is needed and where electronic methods are impractical.

In Hungary, gyorsírás refers to both traditional writing systems taught for manual note-taking and contemporary methods used for rapid transcription. Training and certification programs exist, and proficiency is measured by testing speeds expressed in words per minute. See also shorthand, stenography, stenotype, transcription.