english for court reporting
Court reporting English and Vocabulary are often mixed and matched in terms of presentation. A firm grasp of each is an important tool for any person working in the legal field - that includes an attorney, paralegal and, of course, the court reporter. In these courses, students should learn to increase their vocabulary in general English with a stronger emphasis on homophones and pseudo-homophones to aid in proper translation from various sources.
Court reporting students will learn the basic principles of English structure, grammar and usage with a strong emphasis on punctuation, spelling and vocabulary. In addition, current events are integrated into this course as a means of general understanding and practical application of skills learned in the course. The emphasis is on punctuation of spoken English as transcribed by the reporter. Attention will be placed on the application of the basic rules of punctuation for written English. Also, you should be aware of the special problems encountered by the reporter, including specific rules for abbreviations, quotes, numbers, and paragraphing.
Students studying English and Vocabulary will come across many books on these subjects. NCRA uses the "Gregg Reference Manual" as its grading source on the RPR and RMR exams. Many court reporting schools also use "Morson's English Guide for Court Reporters." The "Gregg Reference Manual" is intended for anyone who writes, edits or prepares material for distribution or publication. For over 50 years this manual has been recognized as the best style manual for business professionals and for students who want to master the on-the-job standards of business professionals.
court reporting comment...
The steno machine only has 22 keys, fewer than a typewriter, so a stenographer uses those keys in combination to write out numbers, phrases, words and sounds. Beyond the typical "steno dictionary" that most court reporters use, stenographers tend to develop their own dictionaries for their work, which speed up the writing process. The very best stenographers are capable of writing 300 words per minute and beyond using a stenotype machine, allowing them to accurately record even the most heated or intense conversations. Several keys are pressed at once, called "chording." The steno notes may appear to be nonsense to the average person, but it makes total sense to the stenographer writing it.