Let’s take a moment to review what you have learned thus far:
In addition, you’ve learned several place blends. Let’s review them:
Joe and John will go to the city to get a job in an airplane factory.
Note: A is generally understood between reverse curves.
*MP is M slanted downward. SK is a right curve a half longer than R.
Evans Shorthand is Built Around a Cicle
Lessons 4 and 5 are devoted to the study of blends. But, before beginning their study, it is well to observe that 80 percent of the alphabetic characters are “built around the circle” so that they are easily formed and are therefore rapid to write. And, in addition, they are more legible.
Of total strokes, 80 percent are circles, curves, hooks, and loops.
The Importance of Blends
Blends shorten outlines, increase speed, and make reading easier. So, they should be carefully studied.
Blends consist of consonant combinations and vowel-consonant combinations spoken with a single or prolonged voice impulse. And, for convenience a few syllables are classed as blends although they are not pure blends.
ALL BLENDS ARE SINGLE PEN STROKES IN EVANS SHORTHAND instead of two or more strokes as they are in other systems.
There are two general classes of blends: Form and Place. And, each general class consists of two kinds.
Form blends are: (a) Original — those not derived from other characters, and (b) Relative —- those derived from or related to basic shorthand characters. About three-fourths of total Form blends are Relative.
Place blends are of two kinds: Superscript, those written slightly higher than the usual place to add R, and Subscript, those written slightly lower than the usual place to add L or EL. Place blends do not differ in form from the basic char acters. For example, B, BR, and BL are identical in form. BR is simply B (the basic character) written higher than the usual place, which is on the writing line. BL is identical m form with B. But to add L, B is written slightly lower than the regular place.
The Relative Form Blend MP Illustrated
M is a horizontal stroke like this:
MP is M slightly tilted like this:
PR is the most frequently used blend in our language; TH is second and ST is third.
Lesson 4 and 5 are devoted to the study of form blends.
How Original Blends Are Formed
As already stated, blends shorten outlines, increase speed, and make reading easier. These facts will now be illustrated.
Take the word “straight.” In Evans Shorthand, it is written with only two pen strokes as compared with five in the Gregg shorthand and three in Pitman, Teeline, and Perrault-Duployan shorthand.
Evans Shorthand:
Gregg Shorthand:
Pitman Shorthand:
Teeline Shorthand:
Perrault-Duployan Shorthand:
It is evident that two strokes can be read more quickly than three or five! Also, it is plain that two strokes can be written more quickly and easily than three or five.
As a blend occurs in every third word on the average, their value is evident.
We have already studied Place Blends (superscript to add R and subscript to add L or EL) in Lessons 1-3. Lessons 4 and 5 teach Form Blends. Original Form. Blends are single pen strokes arbitrarily devised for the purpose stated above.
TH is a short right or left curve written upward and is half the length of K or L.
WH is twice as long as W.
NK, NG and CH are downward right curves as shown.
As Q is generally always followed by U, the blend represents QU and not Q alone. It is a downward right curve the length of B.
RT is exactly like H but H is never sounded at the end of a word and RT occurs only at the terminal end of words.
Refer to Lesson 4, Unit 3.
ST is twice as long as H. SM is three times as long as H.
SH, SN and SW are written as shown.
SK is three times as long as L.
SP is a large loop open at the bottom.
How Relative Blends Are Formed
Relative blends are derived from and definitely related to the letters of the shorthand alphabet. They are expressed by:
- Superscript, which has been previously explained.
- Subscript, which has also been explained previously.
- Ioinings. (Lesson 4, Unit 2.) MEN–NEM–MEM are M and N joined. TED–DET–DED are T and D joined.
- Modified joining. LR–RL are L and R joined, but the angle between is disregarded so as to form a single continuous stroke.
- Shortening. LT is half the length of H.
- Lengthening. THER is the left curve for TH greatly lengthened.
- Straightening. LD and RD are L and R straightened.
- “Cutting corners” to form curves or semi~loops. (Lesson Five, Unit 1)
LEARN EVANS SHORTHAND 