Lesson - 5

Alternative forms of 'R' and 'H'

5.1 INTRODUCTION
In this lesson you will learn that consonants 'R' and 'H' can be written in two
ways. 'R' can be represented either by a downward 'R' or upward 'R'. Similarly
'H' can be represented either by Downward 'H' ..................... or by upward 'H'

..................... Further, the sound of 'H' can be represented by a tick and also by
a dot.

In lesson one you have learnt that there are 24 consonants, but they are
represented by 26 strokes in shorthand. Two more strokes are there because
consonant 'H' & 'R' are represented by two strokes each.

5.2 OBJECTIVES
At the end of this lesson, you will be able to :

l explain the rules for using the alternative forms of 'R' upward and
downward;

l identify the cases where upward 'R' is not used and where downward 'R'
is not used;

l explain the rules for using the alternative forms of 'H' ....................upward
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and downward; ....................

l represent the sound of 'H' through a light dot or by a small tick.

5.3 RULES FOR WRITING UPWARD AND DOWNWARD

'R'
(i) When 'R' comes in the beginning of a word and there is a vowel before
'R', downward stroke is used.

For example:

early .................... army ....................

argue .................... air ....................

(ii) When 'R' comes in the beginning of a word and vowel after 'R', upward
stroke is used.

For example:

ready .................... relief.................... retail....................

role .................... route .................... rush ....................

(iii) In the middle of a word 'R' is generally written upward.

For example:

authority ................... party .................... charge ....................

forty .................... park .................... march ....................

(iv) When 'R' comes at the end of a word and vowel comes after 'R', upward
stroke is used.

For example :

thorough .................... narrow ....................

factory .................... injury ....................

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(v) When 'R' comes at the end of a word and there is no vowel or a vowel
comes before 'R', downward stroke is used.

For example

appear .................... fear .................... assure ....................

bear .................... door .................... share ....................

(vi) When 'R' comes before consonant 'M', downward stroke of 'R' is always
used even if it comes in the middle of a word. (exception to rule (iii))

For example:

remove .................... remedy .................... form ....................

alarm .................... room ....................

(vii) Before T,D, Chay, Jay and ith, upward stroke is used, even if 'R' is preceded
by a vowel. (exception taken to rule)

For example:

artery .................... raid .................... arch ....................

urge .................... earth ....................

(viii) When 'R' comes after upstraight strokes, upward stroke is used.

For example:

rare .................... aware ....................

hurry .................... lawyer ....................

(ix) If 'R' comes after two upstraight strokes, downward stroke is used.

For example:

roarer .................... rarer ....................

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SHORT FORMS/GRAMMALOGUES:

............................ your ............................ year ............................ whose

............................ large ............................ thank or thanked ............................

INTEXT QUESTIONS 5.1

1. Fill in the blanks:

(i) 'R' is represented by ............................ strokes, written in ............................

& ............................ direction.

(ii) In the beginning of a word 'R' is written-

(a) Downward ............................

(b) Upward ............................

(iii) In the middle of a word, ‘R’ is generally written in ...................... direction.

(iv) In the end of a word-

(a) When there is no vowel ............................ stroke is used.

(b) When vowel comes after 'R' ............................ stroke is used.

(v) Before 'M' ......................‘R’ stroke is used.

(vi) Before T, D, Chay, Jay and ith, ............................ ‘R’ stroke is used.

(vii) After upstraight strokes .................................. ‘R’ stroke is used.

(viii) After two upstrokes 'R' is used in ............................ direction.

5.4 CONSONANT 'H'

The consonant H is heard in words like hockey, huge, hotel, higher etc. Likewise
there are many other words which could be written with either Upward or
downward H.

The consonant H is written in two forms because of the following reasons:-

 Alternative forms of 'R' and 'H' :: 57

(i) For the purpose of legible outline:- Upward H may join more legibly
with certain strokes than downward H and hence upward H is used,
similarly downward H may join more legibly with certain strokes hence
downward H is used.

(ii) In order to avoid awkward joining:- These two forms have been formed
so that the awkward joining of phrases is avoided.

CASES OF UPWARD AND DOWNWARD H

Downward H
We use downward H in the following cases:-

(i) When it is standing alone:-

high ........................ he ....................... hay ........................ hue ........................

In all the above cases you will notice that H is the only consonant in the word.
There is no other consonant. These strokes have been positioned according to
the first heard vowel in them.

Note:

You may be knowing by now that a consonant is positioned according to the

principle of 'position writing'. Two factors determine the position of a
consonant:-

1. The first heard vowel and

2. The first upstroke and downstroke

The rule can therefore, be described as- "In the case of first place vowel, the
first upstroke or downstroke will be written above the line and the rest of the
consonants will follow."

This rule similarly applies for the position writing of IInd place and IIIrd Place
vowels.

(ii) When H is followed either by k or g:-

Downward H is used whenever it is immediately followed either by K or G.

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hug ........................ hike ........................ hook ..................... hockey ..........................

In all the above cases, H is written downward because according to the rule if
H is followed by K or G, downward H is used. For example, in the word Hug
H is followed by g, in Hike, Hook and Hockey, H is followed by K, therefore
downward form of H is used.

It is important to mention here that there can be a vowel occurring between the
stroke H-K and H-G but there should not be any consonant in between them.

3. In derivatives and compound words:-

Downward H is used in the derivatives of words written with downward H. In

other words if in the root word downward H is written then in the derivative and
compound words it is maintained.

For example, High is a root which is written with downward H. Therefore, the
derivatives of high will also be written with downward H only.

high ............................ highly............................ higher............................

Similarly Hay is written with downward H and Hayrick is a derivative so Hayrick

will be written with downward H.

hay ............................ hayrick ............................

Upward H
In all the cases than those mentioned above, 'H' is written upward when joined
to other consonants. It is a light stroke written with upward direction. For
example,

happy ............................ hope............................ head............................

heavy............................ hung............................ hurry............................

You will notice that in all the above examples, with use of upward form of H,
we get legible outline and a sharp angle. With downward H we may not get such
legible outlines when joined with the above combination of consonants.
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CONTRACTION FORM OF HOPE

The word 'Hope' ............................ can be contracted to the stroke
P............................ to be used in phrases like-

I hope ............................ I hope you are ............................ I hope you will

............................ We hope............................ We hope you are ............................

In other words, in order to gain speed and write quickly the word 'hope' which
occurs too often in official letters, is contracted to P consonant.

Note : It is however, important to mention here that 'hope' will be written

full when written alone.

INTEXT QUESTIONS 5.2

1. Fill in the blanks:

(a) The two forms of H are ............................ and ............................

(b) The direction of writing upward H is ............................

(c) 'High' is written with ............................ H.

(d) ............................ H is written when it is standing alone.

(e) 'Highly' is a derivative of ............................ H is written ............................

in it.

(f) 'Hope' is contracted to ............................ consonant.

2. Correct the outlines of the following words:

(a) Hang........................ (b) Hook........................ (c) Highway........................

(d) Head........................(e) Higher........................

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5.1 DRILL EXERCISE

Transcribe the following :-

1. ........................................................................................................................

2. ........................................................................................................................

3. ........................................................................................................................

4. ........................................................................................................................

5. ........................................................................................................................

6. ........................................................................................................................

7. ........................................................................................................................

5.2 DRILL EXERCISE

Write in shorthand

1. I will be leaving early to see the hockey match.

2. The car was going on the highway.

3. The hotel usually pay higher revenue to the bank.

4. He was happy and was laughing at a higher pitch.

5. They will go to see the hockey match on Monday.

6. I should like the head of your firm to see our huge new factory.

7. We are happy to go to the lake and I hope you will enjoy the voyage.

8. I admire the head of the hotel.

9. I hope to go to Canada via Nigeria.

10. The hotel had a huge lounge.

 Alternative forms of 'R' and 'H' :: 61

KEY TO DRILL QUESTIONS

1. They hope to have the bill of lading in the mail today.

2. I hope he will come to see it for I think it will appeal to him.

3. He was enjoying holiday at hotel when he was caught up by the authority.

4. I will be happy to go with him to see your nephew.

5. I shall be happy to see him and you if you can come too.

6. He may get the higher wage for the job.

7. He was in a hurry to see the huge hotel.

KEY TO DRILL QUESTIONS

1. ..............................................................................................

2. ..............................................................................................

3. ..............................................................................................

4. ..............................................................................................

5. ..............................................................................................

6. ..............................................................................................

7. ..............................................................................................

8. ..............................................................................................

9. ..............................................................................................

10. ..............................................................................................

5.5 'H' TICK

(a) 'H' sound is represented by a small tick in the beginning before 'M', 'L'
and downward 'R', when not preceded by a vowel. 'H' tick is written in the
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direction of downward 'H'.

For Example :-

hall ..................

health ..................

home ..................

harm ..................

(b) 'H' tick is also employed medially in Phraseography but not in words:-

Thus:- for whom .................. but Inhumanity ..................

of her .................. but Lahore ........................

'H' Dot
Where upward or downward. 'H' cannot conveniently be joined with the preceding
stroke, the 'H' dot is used. 'H' dot is indicated by placing light dot before the
vowel which is to be aspirated. 'H' dot is used in the middle of a word.

Note the following examples:-

uphill .......................

vehicle .......................

manhood .......................

5.6 WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNT

Consonant 'R' is represented by two strokes-written upward and downward:

Uses of Upward 'R'

1. In the beginning of a word when followed by a vowel, upward 'R' is used.

2. In the middle generally upward 'R' is used.

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3. In the end of a word when followed by a vowel, upward 'R' is used.

4. Before T, D, Chay, Jay and Ith, upward 'R' is used.

5. After upstraight strokes, upward 'R' is used.

Uses of Downward 'R'

1. In the beginning of a word when 'R' is preceded by a vowel, downward

'R' is used.

2. Before 'M', always downward 'R' is used.

3. In the end of a word when there is no vowel either preceding or following,

downward 'R' is used.

4. After two upstrokes, downward 'R' is used.

There are two forms of 'H'. Upward H and downward 'H'. The downward 'H' is
written in downward direction and upward H is written in upward direction. There
are certain cases where downward H is used:-

1. H standing alone

2. H followed by K or G

3. Derivative of root word written with downward H

In all other cases, upward H is used. In order to facilitate quick writing, 'hope'
word is contracted to 'p' stroke in a phrase.

Abbreviated 'H' is used in two forms i.e. 'H' tick and 'H' dot. 'H' tick is used
initially with the consonants 'L', 'M' and downward 'R'. It is used medially in
phraseography but not in words.

Where it is not convenient to write upward or downward 'H', then 'H' sound is
represented by a dot in the middle of a stroke with the vowel.

INTEXT QUESTIONS 5.3

1. (a) A small tick is represented initially with L, M & downward R for

the sound of ......................
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(b) 'H' is represented medially by a small....................written with the

vowel.

(c) 'H' tick is also used medially in....................

2. Correct the outlines of the following words :-

(a) uphill .......................

(b) for whom .......................

(c) healthy .......................

(d) perhaps .......................

(e) hoghead .......................

Extensive use of 'H' tick & dot

The following vocabulary will help you to do the extensive use of Dot and tick
'H' in various outlines.

1. hall

2. humanity

3. hearth

4. heartily

5. mishap

6. homing

7. uphill

8. downhill

5.7 TERMINAL QUESTIONS

1. Explain with examples any four rules for use of upward form of 'R'
 Alternative forms of 'R' and 'H' :: 65

2. What do you understand by Dot 'H' & Tick 'H'? Explain by giving suitable
examples.

3. Write the rules for use of downward form of 'R'. Give suitable examples.

4. State the cases where upward H is used.

5. Highly and Higher are written with downward H, why?

6. What is the purpose of contracting the word 'Hope'?

7. State with examples the circumstances under which 'H' tick is used.

8. State the circumstances where dot 'H' is used. Support your answer with
suitable examples.

5.8 ANSWERS TO INTEXT QUESTIONS

5.1

(i) Two, upward and downward.

(ii) (a) When preceded by a vowel.

(b) When followed by a vowel.

(iii) Upward.

(iv) (a) Downward

(b) Upward

(v) Downward

(vi) Upward

(vii) Upward

(viii) Downward

5.2

1. (a) upward and downward

(b) upward
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(c) downward

(d) downward

(e) high; downward

(f) P

2. (a) .......................

(b) .......................

(c) .......................

(d) .......................

(e) .......................

5.3

1. (a) 'H'

(b) DOT

(c) Phraseography

2. (a) .......................

(b) .......................

(c) .......................

(d) .......................

(e) .......................

MATERIAL FOR EXTENDED LEARNING/ACTIVITY

You may consult Chapter IV, Chapter XVII of Pitman Shorthand (New Era
Edition).