The bet at the worldwide championships of Intersteno

is to succeed in preparing, within the shortest times, texts which have to be perfect in any aspect. These texts can be produced following a fast dictation at progressive speed, or copying or editing from a basic text,  as well as integrating data, images and texts coming from different sources.

At each Congress, results are improving and they are the combined effect of perseverance, experience, technology and didactic improvements .

To participate in a world championship is an honor, fulfilling a long formative run in which personal and technical abilities play an important role.

The technical results can be compared to those reached by sportsmen at the Olympic games. Also in this case we may simply applaud!

As in the Olympiads, each competitor has a historied background, based on the watchful presence of trainers who in many ways have favored and motivated him to take part in a great event which could seem to be only a dream.

Over 160 competitors crowded the big keyboarding competition hall at the Sheraton Hotel in Roma 2003

  

The competitions follows two parallel streams: to take down a text read at an increasing speed or to enter texts and data processed with a computer. In either cases speed and accuracy are the factors of the success.

The traditional tools (pen, paper, typewriter) are now coupled or replaced by computers, traditional or electronic stenotype machines, speech recognition softwares. These technical evolutions had to be considered in the rules of competition, which are constantly up-dated.

Here is a synthesis of the actual formulas of competition, whose rules you can consult in the menu on the left of this page. These rules had been once again up-dated during the meeting of the Central Committee which took place in Antalya in September 2006 and are applicable from the next Congress in Prague 2007.

Speech capturing competition (previously named 'Steno competition' -  Take and transcription of a five-minute dictation at progressive speed. The competitor chooses the text to transcribe among three consecutive five-minute dictations given at speeds increased each minute. The initial and final speeds of each dictation are related to the language of the competitors, according to a comparison table set up by the Intersteno Central Committee. The basic text for Prague 2007 will be English in Column I with speed ranging from 148 to 412 syllables (the ration word/syllables in English is about 1.4). At least the first three minutes of dictation must be transcribed successfully.

Every kind of technology can be used (shorthand - stenomachines and computer keyboarding - voice recognition). Competitors using speech recognition, must compulsory use stenomask or silencer.

One classification list for each technology, but only 1 world champion, the one reaching the best result.

Text production competition .The contest consists of 30-minute copying of printed text . Computer and stenotype keyboards can be used. Separate classification list is foreseen for competitors using speech recognition, who must use stenomask or silencer.
Minimum speed:
seniors (over 20 years of age) 360 characters per minute, maximum errors 0.25%
juniors (up to 20 years of age) 300 characters per minute, maximum errors 0.25 %
pupils (up to 15 years of age) 240 characters per minute, maximum errors 0.25 %
Competitors must hand in their work on USB-sticks provided by the Organizing Committee.

 

Real time competition. Take of an eight-minute dictation using any kind of technology. The trascription is delivered without any correction, at the end of the eight minute, on a diskette or CD-Rom. Transcription is valid if  at least the first three minutes taken are successfully transcribed.

Competitors who cannot follow the dictation must stop writing and no correction is allowed. If speech recognition  is used, competitor is compelled to use stenomask (voice silencer)

Text editing competition - Competitors receive a text on a diskette or cd and  they have to make modifications and corrections as shown on a printed sheet. The kinds of corrections will be indicated with international signs used by professionals in text correction. 300 is the quantity of possible corrections/modifications. The competitors will enter as many as possible within a time frame of ten minutes. In Vienna the winner did 286 modifications.

Correspondence and minute-taking competition. This competition consists of two parts: 1. a verbatim transcription of a three-minute dictation of a letter introducing the theme of the second part; 2. a summary report (the minutes) in complete sentences from a text which will be dictated for seven minutes. The text of this latter dictation contains a title and several numbered paragraph titles which indicate the theme and subthemes of the text to be summarized. These titles have to be transcribed verbatim. The work must be completed within 120 minutes.

Professional word processing competition  - The competitor receives text - data - images and instruction for preparing a professional document. The competitors will mainly use word-processing software.

Multilingual competition. Competitors in the speed competition in mother tongue may also take part in the multilingual competition. This competition involves taking down dictations in at least two additional languages. These languages will be stated in advance on the registration form. Each dictation lasts three minutes, at the speeds of 120-130-140 syllables respectively for each minute. Competitors may participate in at least two languages:: English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Finnish, Swedish, Czech, Slovakian, Russian, Bulgarian, Turkish, Dutch, Estonian.Competitors can be successful either in (1) mother tongue plus one foreign language or (2) at least two foreign languages without taking part in the mother tongue competition.