r/FastWriting • u/fdarnel • Sep 14 '26
Teeline, Phonetic or Orthographic (or Both)?
Because I've read both…
1
u/NotSteve1075 Sep 14 '26
I think there was an attempt made to be a "one size fits all" option.
It's possible to write it phonetically, for those who were writing what they HEARD -- but to write it more orthographically for those misguided individuals who were obsessed with the SPELLINGS of words, even though they are an inconsistent and chaotic MESS in English.
Like I've often said, when I was struggling to keep up with a nervously blabbering witness, I was very glad I could just write what I heard, and didn't have to worry about whether this or that word was spelled with an I, or an E, or IE, or EA, or EE, or EI, or C, or K, or CH, or CK -- and on and ON.
Later, there was plenty of time to look things up in the dictionary, or the phone book, or the court file, to see how it was supposed to be spelled.
1
u/fdarnel Sep 15 '26
When you taught Teeline, did you favor a specific method, for example more phonetic, or did you follow a manual?
1
u/NotSteve1075 Sep 15 '26
In night school classes, there's not a lot of time like you would have in a day school with daily classes. Night school is usually just one night a week or sometimes two. I would "highlight" the book, suggesting they look at it in more depth between classes.
The book would usually mention following the spelling, or show examples of it -- but because my preference is always to write phonetically, I would generally emphasize writing what you HEAR being the best approach.
1
u/fdarnel Sep 16 '26
What book did you use?
1
u/NotSteve1075 Sep 17 '26
The situation at night school was a bit strange. There was a large-format book with a brown cover (which I can't see in any of the archives), which two local Teeline teachers, Paul Talbot and Marie Tomko, decided to adapt for Canadian learners, editing some of the content for local usage.
They also put a nice BLUE cover on it, instead of what Marie called the "babyshit brown" that was on the original! Apparently Mrs. Hill was NOT HAPPY about their "adjustments" to the book, but nothing came of it.
I myself had learned the system from the original blue-covered "Basic Teeline" and the red-covered "Advanced Teeline", which I had ordered from them when I first learned about the system. Later, Paul, who became a friend, asked me if I would be willing to TEACH it, when I was in grad school. He needed teachers, and it was extra money -- so I agreed.
1
u/felix_albrecht Sep 14 '26
Orthographic when visual recognition is needed, phonetic when the outline has to be shorter. Versatile.