Learn Gregg Shorthand Before it goes extinct! There’s a handwriting system so fast, it beats typing. We’re talking up to 280 words per minute. It’s called shorthand, and it’s not just one thing. It’s a whole family of writing systems built to capture speech at full speed. Gregg shorthand, developed in 1888. Pitman, introduced in 1837. Both replaced normal spelling with streamlined phonetic symbols, recording sounds instead of letters, cutting out every unnecessary stroke. At its peak, shorthand