Stenography is a way of writing very fast, using short signs instead of full letters and words. One little mark can stand for a whole sound, a whole word, or even a common phrase like "thank you".

Stenography is stenography是 a way of writing very fast一種寫得非常快的方法， using short signs用簡短的符號 instead of full letters and words代替完整的字母和單字。 One little mark一個小小的符號 can stand for就可以代表 a whole sound一整個音， a whole word一整個字， or even a common phrase甚至一整句常用的話 like "thank you"像「thank you」這樣的話。

People learned it so they could write down every word a person said while the person was still talking — normal handwriting is far too slow for that. It was the everyday skill of secretaries, court workers, and news writers for a long time, especially before recording machines were common.

People learned it大家學速記 so they could write down為了能寫下 every word a person said一個人講的每一個字 while the person was still talking趁對方還在講話的時候—— normal handwriting一般的手寫字 is far too slow for that對這件事來說實在太慢了。 It was過去它是 the everyday skill of secretaries, court workers, and news writers秘書、法院人員、新聞工作者天天要用的技能 for a long time用了很長一段時間， especially before recording machines were common尤其是在錄音機還不普遍的年代。

In everyday talk, most people say **shorthand**, not stenography; "stenography" is the more formal, more technical word, the one you see on a school course or an old job advertisement. The word covers both the system of signs itself and the act of writing with it.

In everyday talk日常講話裡， most people say大部分人會說 shorthand速記 not stenography而不會說stenography； "stenography"這個字 is the more formal, more technical word是比較正式、比較專業的說法， the one you see是你會在 on a school course or an old job advertisement學校課程表或早期的徵才廣告上看到 的那種字。 The word covers這個字涵蓋了 both the system of signs itself符號系統本身 and the act of writing with it以及用它來書寫這件事。

A person who does this work is a **stenographer**, and in American courts you still meet one today: the person sitting near the judge, typing on a small machine, making the official record of everything said. That machine work is also called stenography, even though it is typing and not pen marks.

A person who does this work做這份工作的人 is a stenographer叫stenographer（速記員）， and in American courts在美國法院裡 you still meet one today你今天還是會遇到這種人： the person sitting near the judge坐在法官旁邊的人， typing on a small machine在一台小機器上打字， making the official record of everything said把所有講的話做成正式紀錄。 That machine work這種用機器做的工作 is also called stenography也叫做stenography， even though it is typing and not pen marks即使它是打字而不是用筆寫。

Note that "stenography" is not a normal way to say "typing" or "taking notes" — it means this special fast system, not writing notes in your own words.

Note that "stenography"要注意"stenography" is not a normal way to say不是「打字」或 "typing" or "taking notes"「做筆記」的普通說法—— it means它指的是 this special fast system這種特別的速記系統， not writing notes in your own words不是用自己的話寫筆記。