Aulay Macaulay (died 1788) was an 18th-century English
tea-dealer, based in
Manchester, who invented a system of
shorthand which could be used in
English and many other languages. He died on 19 March 1788, in Manchester.
In the 18th century Macaulay invented a system of
shorthand, which he named "Polygraphy". His system was documented in a self-printed book titled ''Polygraphy or Shorthand Made Easy to the Meanest Capacity Being an Universal Character Fitted to All Languages Which may be learnt by this Book without the help of a Master'', published in 1747. In order to ward off possible
pirated editions of his work, Macaulay personally signed each copy, and wrote within the book: "whoever presumes to pirate my Book, will be prosecuted with the utmost Rigour".
His shorthand system was the first English system to include written
vowels; and he was the first to intend his system for other languages. Within his book, he used his system to write a
psalm in 8 different languages. His book included a dedication to George,
Prince of Wales (who would later become
George III, King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland).
References
Further reading
*
External links
;Online copy of one of the editions of ''Polygraphy''
*
;Other links
A question concerning Aulay Macaulay, posted on "Notes and Queries" of ''The Guardian''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Macaulay, Aulay
MacAulay
English people of Scottish descent
MacAulay
Businesspeople from Manchester
Year of birth unknown