Dutton Speedwords is an international auxiliary language as well a shorthand writing system. The method was invented by Reginald John Garfield Dutton (1886-1970) in 1922. It was first published in 1935 under the title International Symbolic Script and a year later using the name Speedwords. Revisions were made and published in 1946 and 1951.
The dual function of being both an international language and a shorthand system was intended as a way of encouraging more people to see the value of the method. The original Dutton Speedwords manuals are now out of print, but the method has seen a revival since the start of the 21st century, as its applications on online work have become noted, such as the benefit of using a shorthand method for typing e-mail.
Unlike other shorthand methods, such as Pitman's shorthand, the Speedwords method uses ordinary Roman letters to represent the semantic qualities of words rather than using new symbols. This makes it not only easier to learn, but means it can typed using a normal keyboard. Each word has only one meaning, so the need for grammar is reduced. The vocabulary of Speedwords uses many international words and compressed forms of the writer's own language.
The original Dutton Speedwords manuals are now out of print, but the method has seen a revival since the start of the 21st century, as its applications on online work have become noted, such as the benefit of using a shorthand method for typing e-mail.
The principle behind Dutton Speedwords is that of word roots based on Zipf's Law, a concept in linguistics that states that frequently-used words tend to be shorter than seldom-used words.
During the next ten years, his system became know as "World Speedwords." Dutton's son eldest son was killed in action in December of 1942.
Dutton Speedwords offered a twin advantage in that if functioned both as a system of international communication and also an extremly fast method of taking shorthand notes.
His World Speedwords is a perfect system for international email creation, and its use as an international auxilary language would be of tremendous value in promoting peace and understanding.
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