Proof that shorthand really is a universal language has been unveiled…in The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy film. Pitman Training, the UK's leading provider of office and IT based training has spent the last year working closely with the movie's production team to translate the infamous Vogon aliens' language into shorthand symbols.

On both the Vogon's home planet Vogsphere and their fleet of spaceships, all notices on doors and equipment, warnings and instructions to alien staff have been meticulously translated into shorthand – which, understandably to the untrained human eye, will simply look like a series of squiggles, dots and lines.

Michael Graham, managing director of Pitman Training was contacted in December 2003 and agreed that the use of the world famous method of shorthand would make a great alien language. Subsequently Pamela Dunsmore who works with Pitman Training's City of London centre said: "We worked with the production team at Touchstone Pictures to develop a series of phrases into a language which appeared to be suitably alien. While they could simply have devised their own meaningless scribbles, it was important that the language did originate from somewhere and have some meaning. Anyone going to see the film who are trained in shorthand will clearly see for themselves just what the signs and phrases mean – and may be privy to information that other members of the audience may not."

Thousands of people, not just throughout the UK but worldwide are trained in Pitman Training Shorthand. But while getting inside information on alien-speak is a clear advantage, the skill has innumerable benefits for life on earth too – namely improving job prospects. Pam who's in her 70's said "I've been using Pitman shorthand for 60 years, but never expected to use it to communicate with aliens. A lot of people think that shorthand has had its day, but this simply goes to prove that it has a very promising future."

While shorthand isn't the only training course offered by Pitman Training (others include diplomas in business, marketing, PR and journalism), anyone interested in finding out more about the benefits of learning shorthand should contact their nearest Pitman Training centre.