Emily's Symbol Dictionary

Design

This dictionary was created with the following goals in mind:

Have a consistent method to type (pretty much) every symbol
Specify spacing and capitalisation of that symbol in 1 stroke
Hackable and understandable to anyone who finds it useful :)

Sections

To support the design goals, for each symbol there are 6 different options specifiable in sections of each stroke:

Unique Starter (Red)
Spacing/Attachment (Orange)
Capitalisation (Teal)
Variant (Green)
Symbol (Purple)
Repetition (Blue)

These options are mapped to different sections of the steno board:

Unique Starter

The first part of the stroke is always the same and identifies all the symbols. In the Magnum Steno dictionary that I use, SKHW is a unique key combination for the left hand that is never used. (note that SKWHR is used, but by not using R-, this makes it unique)

Due to this, all the combinations of remaining strokes will have no clashes and are free to be used to specify everything needed. To adjust this starter to your dictionary just change the "uniqueStarter" variable at the top of the dictionary!

Attachment

There is a consistent way to specify attachment to the text around a symbol using the A and O keys. From community feedback there are two different attachment specification systems that are the inverse of each other:

space
attachment

space specification is the default system. With space attachment, the attachment keys specify on which side of the symbol spaces should be inserted. This means without any attachment keys used, no spaces will be inserted and the symbol will fully attach on both sides like the / in: usr/bin Using A will insert a space before the symbol, and using O will insert a space after the symbol.

In contrast, with attachment specification, the attachment keys specify on which side of the symbol spaces should be removed. This means with no attachment specified, spaces are inserted on both side of a symbol, like the & in: one & two. Using A will remove the space before the symbol, and using O will remove the space after the symbol.

space may be easier for programming with, due to / in file paths and programming language syntax. Whereas attachment may be easier for writing with, as most symbols in speech are on their own. But try each one and see what works best for you!

To change which system you want to use, just change the attachmentMethod variable at the top of the dictionary between "space" and "attachment".

Keys	`space`	`attachment`
	`x.x`	`x . x`

Keys	`space`	`attachment`
	`x .x`	`x. x`

Keys	`space`	`attachment`
	`x. x`	`x .x`

Keys	`space`	`attachment`
	`x . x`	`x.x`

Capitalisation

The * can be used to specify capitalisation of the text following the symbol.

By default no capitalisation is applied.

Key	Output
	`x . x`, `(cons`

With the * key used, the next input is capitalised.

Key	Output
	`x . X`, `said "To`

Variant

There are a lot of similar symbols, to manage this, each symbol has a base symbol and a list of variant symbols. The specific variant required is chosen with a combination of the E and U keys, this allows for 4 total variants of a symbol.

By default the base symbol is typed, this is generally the most common of all the variants.

Key	Output
	`(`, `$`

When the E key is used, the left (or first) variant is typed instead.

Key	Output
	`[`, `¥`

When the 'U' key is used, the right (or second) variant is typed.

Key	Output
	`<`, `€`

When both E and U are used, the final variant is typed.

Key	Output
	`{`, `£`

These variants are stored in the main symbols dictionary and you should edit them based on which ones are more frequent for you! Though I hope my defaults are good enough.

Symbol

The main section is the symbol section, used to specify the specific symbol to type. Only a 2x3 grid is needed to address all the symbols, using variants. All of the patterns for symbols are done according to shape, rather than phonetics or briefs, and so should be remember visually with the images as an aid. For each symbol shape the pattern only addresses the base symbol, it doesn't apply as well to the variant symbols. As such, the variants should be anchored in memory to the base symbol itself rather than the pattern.

Pattern	Symbols	Description
Whitespace
	`{#Tab} {#Backspace} {#Delete} {#Escape}`	The pattern aligns with the tips of the arrows on a tab key legend: ↹
Arrows
	`{#Up} {#Left} {#Right} {#Down}`	Looks like an arrow key cluster
↑
	`↑ ← → ↓`	Looks like an upside-down arrow key cluster
Navigation
	`{#Page_Up} {#Home} {#End} {#Page_Down}`	Arrow key cluster but with an addition key held down
Music
	`{#AudioPlay} {#AudioPrev} {#AudioNext} {#AudioMute}`	Like a strangely rotated L for err... _L_ovely music?
Audio
	`{#AudioMute} {#AudioLowerVolume} {#AudioRaiseVolume} {#Eject}`	Like a smaller strangely rotated L for err... _l_ovely music control?
Blank
	`'' {!} {?} {#Space}`	It's blank! Self descriptive
Capitalization
	`{-\|} {<} {<} {*>}`	Up at the top, separate, it's pointy like capital letters
!
	`! ¬ ↦ ¡`	Vertical shape that's off to the left, like `!` on a regular keyboard
"
	`" “ ” „`	Two dots up high like its shape, and off to the left like on ISO keyboards
#
	`# © ® ™`	Two vertical bars like in the shape
$
	`$ ¥ € £`	Makes an `S` shape like a `$`
%
	`% ‰ ‱ φ`	Same as a `/` but with the two extra keys representing the dots
&
	`& ∩ ∧ ∈`	Makes a mirror image of the standard 'and' brief (mirrored for ease)
'
	`' ‘ ’ ‚`	One dot up high, similar to `"`, on the index for importance
(
	`( [ < {`	Similar to the standard steno brief
)
	`) ] > }`	Similar to the standard steno brief
*
	`* ∏ § ×`	single dot shape, off to the right like JIS, up high in the sky
+
	`+ ∑ ¶ ±`	single dot shape, off to the right like JIS, under the star
,
	`, ∪ ∨ ∉`	Single dot shape, below like on a keyboard, middle finger as less important
-
	`- − – —`	Line in shape, up in the top right like a normal keyboard
.
	`. • · …`	Single dot in shape, below like on a keyboard, index finger as important
/
	`/ ⇒ ⇔ ÷`	Shape of a `/`
:
	`: ∋ ∵ ∴`	Vertical shape, off to the right like a normal keyboard
;
	`; ∀ ∃ ∄`	Literally a `,` and `.` at the same time
=
	`= ≡ ≈ ≠`	Literally a `-` and a `_` at the same time
?
	`? ¿ ∝ ‽`	Looks like the top of a `?`
@
	`@ ⊕ ⊗ ∅`	Large complicated shape, only way to make a big spiral
\
	`\ Δ √ ∞`	Shape of a `\`
^
	`^ « » °`	Shape of a `^` and other pointy/raised symbols
_
	`_ ≤ ≥ µ`	A line down low opposing `-`, and other lowered symbols
`
	` ⊂ ⊃ π	Single dot up high, next to `'`
\|
	`\| ⊤ ⊥ ¦`	Nice symetrical vertical shape goes in the middle
~
	`~ ⊆ ⊇ ˜`	Makes the shape of a `~`