NATIONAL SHORTHAND SCHOOL (BOOKS)

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LESSON – 19

THE DOUBLING PRINCIPLE

There are three lengths for the consonants in Pitman’s shorthand;

i.e. full-length, half-length and double-length strokes. Full-length
Full
and half-length
length strokes and their usage has already been covered in
the previous chapters. Now, writing the consonant strokes by
doubling their length will be explained. When a stroke is written to
its half-length, it indicates the addition of single consonantal sound
of ‘t’ or ‘d’.

GENERAL RULES
When a stroke is written double-length,, it indicates the addition of
unaccented double-consonants ‘tr’ , ‘dr’, ‘THr’ and sometimes ‘-ture’

finally, with few exceptions; thus

s lie, light, lighter, ten,
tent, tender, sky, sect, sector,, center,
meter, starter, binder, splinter, fracture,
central, impounder, flatter.

Straight strokes having (a) initial circle or (b) initial stroke

attachment, (c) final hook or (d) final attached diphthong are only
doubled for the addition of ‘tr’, ‘dr’, ‘THr’, or ‘-ture’;; thus,
spitter, scooter, chapter, painter, binder,
tutor, doubter.

The double consonantal strokes ‘mp’, or ‘mb’ without initial or

final hook are doubled for the addition of ‘er’ only; thus,
pamper, timber, jumper.

The combinations of ‘mpr’ or ‘mbr’ are represente

represented by two
alternative forms i.e. either with hooked form of mpr/ mbr’ or
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double-length form of ‘mpr/mbr’ .

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The hooked form of ‘mpr’ or ‘mbr’ is used af
after ‘k’ or an
upstroke; thus, hamper, slumber, kimber but in all
kimber;
other cases, double-length form of ‘mpr’ or ‘mbr’
‘mbr is used;
thus, chamber, stamper, dumper,
umper, plumber.

The character ‘ng’ without initial or final hook is doubled for the
addition of ‘-kr’ or ‘-gr’; thus, inker, ringer.

The combinations of ‘ng-kr’ or ‘ng-gr’ are represented by two

alternative forms i.e. either with double-length form of ‘ng-kr/
ng-gr’ or with hooked form of ‘ng-kr/ng-gr’ .

The double-length form of ‘ng-kr/ng-gr’ is used initially, and

when following a circle or after an upstroke; thus,
us, anger,
anchorage, singer, hunger, lunger; but
in all other cases, hooked form of ‘ng-kr/ng-gr’
gr’ is used;
used thus,
bunker, drinker, cranker.

The light stroke of ‘l’ is doubled for the addition of ‘tr’ only when it
is standing alone or with a final circle attached; thus, loiter,
letters, alters; but leader, lather, are written with
full forms.

A circle attached finally to a double-length stroke is read finally i.e.

after the added syllables of ‘tr’ ‘dr’ ‘THr’ ‘-ture’;
ture’; thus, fitter,
fitters, tender, tenders, chapters, pictures.
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PAST TENSES

In words of more than one syllable, where, present tense of a verb

is written with either a double-length or a hooked form,
form the relevant
past tense is written using the halving principle;; thus, fender,
fendered, order, ordered, tamper, tampered,
wonder, wondered, conquer, conquered.

DOUBLING PRINCIPLE NOT EMPLOYED

The doubling principle is not employed in the following cases:

(a) The straight strokes without initial circle or initial stroke

attachment or without a final hook or attached diphthong,
cannot be doubled for the addition of ‘tr’ ‘dr’, etc; thus
Peter, better, daughter, chatter, gutters.
(b) When a vowel follows final ‘tr’, ‘dr’, etc. full form is to be
written, since a final vowel requires a final place; thus,
anger, angry, powder, powdry.
(c) In words like panther, Arthur, where the ‘thr’ is a
light sound, doubling principle is not employed.

POSITION OF DOUBLE-LENGTH FORMS

(a) All double-length down-strokes are written through-the-line;

through
thus binder, voter, founder.
(b) Double-length horizontals are written above-the
the-line for first-
place and on-the-line for second and third-places,
places, according
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to the first vowel heard in the word; thus, stamper,

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motor, meter.
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(c) Double-length up-strokes
strokes are written above, on or through-
the-line,
line, according to the first vowel heard in the word; thus,
alter, letter, litter.

DOUBLING PRINCIPLE IN PHRASEOGRAPHY

The doubling-principle
principle is used in phraseography to indicate the
words, their, there; thus, in, in-their, I-know,
I-know-there-is, take, take-their
their-way, I-
can-be, I-can-be-there, has-to-be, has
has-to-be-there,
upon, upon-their.

GRAMMALOGUES

rather/writer wonderful-ly therefore

PHRASES & CONTRACTIONS

arbitrator certificate character characteristic cross-examine-d

cross

cross-examination deficient-ly deficiancy description discharge

discharge-d

distinguish-ed efficient-cy efficiently electric electrical

electricity enthusiastic enthusiasm esquire exchange

exchange-d
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EXERCISE - 22
Write outlines for the following words, verify them with the ‘key’,
‘
and practise them at least three lines each.

1) floater sister another centralisation wilder blunder

2) supporter importer disorder thermo-meter venture inventors
3) depender engender distributor objectors transactor liquidator
4) hector indicator distemper Picture-frame pampered secondary
5) ring-leader insulators modulator surrendered fabricator inventory
6) tendered auditor suspector grand-father shattered sundry

Decipher the following outlines and write correct words/phrases, verify them
with the ‘key’ and practise them, at least three lines each.

Write the following passages in shorthand in your shorthand notebook, verify them
with ‘key’ and practise the scripts, as many times as you can.

(1) M/s. Border & Slumber: Dear-Sirs, With-reference to-youryour-letter of-the 2nd
instant regarding Messrs. Anderson and Chambers, we-are are happy to-be-able-to
to
report most favourably of-our
our friends. The firm is a thoroughly well-founded
well one.
They-are inventors of-the well-known
known automatic knitter which bears their name, and-
and
in-which they-had a big business as exporters. They-areare also patentees of-the
of
equipment for letter-press
press printers and type moulders. Mr. Anderson is a share-
share
holder in a builders and decorators supply stores, in Chennai. Mr. Chambers is a part
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proprietor of-the immense wharf on-the river-side here. The signature of either of-of
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them is good enough for far more-than you name. We-have have seldom encountered
any type of problem with-these people. Yours faithfully,

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(2) We-do-not-know when-the the first man appeared in Norway, but it-was
it
possibly in-the-last summer. Historical writers point-out that-the
the climate was very
different in-those-days. Some-times, for many hundreds of-years,years, it-was
it hotter
than it-is-now; at other times, it-was very-much colder. As-thethe weather grew colder,
these early men had to find some shelter from-thethe cold, icy blasts, and so we-find
we
that-they retreated underground into caves and holes. For a long--time they-must
have-been without fire, but at-last
last a man discovered that, by striking one flint
against another, he could obtain a spark which-would
would kindle dry leaves into a fire.
This wonderful discovery marks a very-important step on-the the road to civilization.

These men would, without doubt, have many adventures, as they-were

they
prone to encounter all kinds of wild animals in-the
the wilderness around them. It-was
It
essential, therefore, that-they should-be
be good fighters and hunters. Their weapons
were naturally rather primitive. Through-the hard work of-the the excavator many of-
of
these weapons have-been discovered. All of-themthem are made of flint or bone, for early
man was quite unacquainted with-the use of metals. This-is is another example of
necessity being-the mother of invention.

Transcribe and write the following script into longhand, verify with ‘key’, correct it
and practise the script, as many times, as you can.

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CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW FOR KEY TO EXERCISE 22

<a href=
http://www.nssbooks.com/images/answers/SH_KEY_EX_22.pdf
target=”_blank” style=> KEY TO EXERCISE 18 </a>

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Take required no. of print outs of this page and practise all the outlines as given
give in
this lesson and Exercise-22 as directed.

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