How Typewriters Used by Court Reporters Work in the USA?
In their latest video, BuzzFeedVideo introduces the machine used by court reporters in courtrooms. This device is connected to a laptop and captures everything said in court, translating it into text. The author explains the different keys on the keyboard, noting that there are two sides - the initial letters and the final letters. Stenographers have to press down multiple keys simultaneously, which allows them to achieve an incredible typing speed of up to 225 words per minute. Additionally, they can keep track of conversations even when multiple people are speaking at once, showcasing their remarkable ability to work in challenging courtroom environments.
The video also explains how the stenographic keyboard works. It contains special key combinations that enable the typing of the entire alphabet. The author demonstrates how few letters are included on the final side of the keyboard and how to apply them. This allows stenographers to quickly and efficiently record all statements, which is crucial in a legal context. Viewers can also learn how to indicate different speakers during a hearing and how well they understand accents, making them indispensable in the courtroom.
BuzzFeedVideo emphasizes that current transcription software does not provide sufficient accuracy, especially in a court setting. The author reminds viewers that there is little room for errors in legal matters, as a mistake in transcription can have serious consequences. Examples of errors that can occur with technology are contrasted with the solid skills of a stenographer, making the technology seem somewhat unreliable. This is interesting, considering that tone and voice variations are key in court, which software often does not take into account.
In addition to court work, the video highlights other uses for stenography, such as live captioning for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals and creating captions for movies and television shows. The author points out that there are many applications for this skill, and the video’s duration does not suffice to delve deeply into everything that could be said about it. They encourage viewers to share their thoughts and any important information in the comments, as they are still learning.
Finally, it's worth noting the statistics for this video. At the time of writing this article, the video has reached 1,474,161 views and 32,141 likes. This highlights the significance of the topic and the viewers' interest in stenographic techniques, which, while seemingly outdated in the digital age, still play an important role in the legal system and other fields.
Toggle timeline summary
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Introduction to the machine used by court reporters in court.
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Explanation of how the machine connects to the laptop for transcription.
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Description of the keyboard layout with initial letters and vowels.
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Function of the asterisk key to delete words.
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Demonstration of typing the word 'girl' on the machine.
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Typing the word 'zoo' to illustrate multiple key presses.
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Stenographers' capability to write multiple words per stroke.
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Quick comparison of typing speed with stenographers, who can write 225 words per minute.
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Announcement of showing letter correspondences for each key.
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Explanation of keys dedicated to vowels.
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Clarification about combining keys to form the full alphabet.
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Overview of court reporter capabilities, including speaker identification and reading back.
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Discussion on the limitations of current transcription software in legal settings.
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Challenges faced by software with interruptions like coughing or sneezing.
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Advantages of having written transcripts for easy referencing over audio/video.
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Mention of additional uses for stenography such as real-time captioning.
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Conclusion noting the limitations of time for the presentation and a request for audience input.
Transcription
This is the machine that court reporters use in a courtroom to type out everything that is said in the courtroom. It is currently plugged into my laptop, so basically everything that I type goes in here and gets translated. This is the initial side of the keyboard, so it's like starting letters, these are vowels, and this is the final side, so like finishing letters. And this is an asterisk. When I put in an asterisk, it deletes the word that was above it. To type on it, you have to push down the keys at the same time, so I'm going to spell the word girl. So that spells girl, so it went in there and then it translated it to girl. If I wanted to spell the word zoo, for instance, I'd push these down at the same time and it translates in here to zoo. Long story short, it just takes too long. Stenographers push down multiple keys at the same time to spell one word with each stroke. So this was just me key smashing, that was six strokes, so that would be six words. So stenographers can write 225 words a minute. So when there's multiple people talking in court, they can keep up with that too. So now I have to ask, how many words per minute can you type? Today I'm going to show you guys what letter corresponds to each key. So this is the initial side. This key is S-T-P-H, and this is also S-K-W-R. These four keys are the vowels. The vowels they have are A-O-E and U. So this is the final side of the keyboard. This is F-P-L-T-D-R-B-G-S-Z. This whole middle key here is an asterisk. You may have noticed that this doesn't include every letter in the alphabet. To get every letter in the alphabet, we have to use a combination of keys. A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-I-J-K-L-M-N-O-P-Q-R-S-T-U-V-W-X-Y-Z. You can't do the full alphabet with the final side of the keyboard, but you can do A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-I-J-K-L-M-N-O-P-Q-R-S-T-U-V-W-X-Y-Z. Here is a visual representation. Long story short, know and here's why. Court reporters can indicate between speakers, they can read back what was just said, and they can also understand accents pretty well. Software available to us right now just isn't close enough to being 100% accurate in a court of law. Like, think about all the times Siri has misheard you. There isn't much room for error in a court. Also, imagine if there was a loud sneeze or cough in the courtroom. This can mess up any software or audio recording you have, whereas a court reporter isn't confused about who's speaking and what a cough is. Also, having everything typed out versus an audio or a video recording makes it easier for anyone to go back and reference the transcript almost immediately. There are also other uses for stenography. Real-time captioning is needed for people who are hard of hearing or deaf. Also, captioning for movies, shows, anything. One minute isn't nearly enough time to explain this, and I'm still a student, so I'm still learning too. If I forgot to add something important, please comment and educate me.