Page "Thomas Natural Shorthand" Paragraph 5

Teeline shorthand shares largely the same philosophy and approach as Thomas Natural Shorthand ; it is however more accessible to beginners since the symbols used are themselves based on the Latin alphabet ( although so abstractly that most would consider Teeline a symbol, rather than alphabetic, system ).

The Thomas Natural symbols, on the other hand, were chosen for speed rather than familiarity.

Likewise, Thomas Natural was pushed in the 1930s-40s, at a time when alphabetic systems were just beginning their ascendency, whereas in the contemporary era in which Teeline is being promoted, the limitations of the alphabetic systems have made them less attractive today than in an era when their potential seemed greater.