Two Talk
About:
Two Talk is a concise semantic shorthand system designed for fast, structured notetaking, clear todo lists, and simple digital bullet journals. Every "word" is exactly two symbols long—one category and one modifier—giving you a compact, keyboard-native way to capture ideas quickly without losing meaning.
What: A keyboard-native shorthand using two symbols per word.
Why: Fast, flexible, and works the same regardless of your native language.
Uses: Meeting notes, todo lists, daily journals, and quick capture.
Why: Fast, flexible, and works the same regardless of your native language.
Uses: Meeting notes, todo lists, daily journals, and quick capture.
Two Talk words are built by combining two symbols:
1st symbol = Category (the "what") 2nd symbol = Modifier (the "detail")
Categories:
@ = People / Role # = Thing / Task ^ = Place / Context : = Time ~ = Action / Movement * = Status / Energy % = Value / Money " = Communicate / Message
Modifiers:
> = Send / To / After < = Receive / From / Before ! = Done / Confirmed ? = Ask / Question / Unknown + = Start / Big / More - = Stop / Small / Less = = Continue / Same / Equal
Literals:
Amounts: Use Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3) to express amounts. Dates: Express dates in your native language numeric format. Names: Use native language initials for people (e.g. JB for Jamie Bond). Compound: Join two words with a dot (.) for complex concepts (e.g. @3.~= = team collaboration).
Getting started.
1. Pick 5-10 symbol pairs you'll use daily from the Quick Reference. 2. Use Two Talk only for tasks, notes, and meetings at first. 3. Don't try to memorize everything at once. 4. Let patterns emerge naturally over 1-2 weeks. 5. Customize meanings to match your workflow.
Quick Reference.
These 14 pairs cover 80% of daily notetaking needs:
@@ = self; me; I @+ = manager; boss; lead #! = task done; completed #? = task; todo; assignment :! = deadline; urgent :> = later; future; postpone ~! = action completed; done ~> = follow-up; chase; next step "> = send message; email; tell "? = ask question; request %! = budget; price; cost %- = expense; spending *! = critical; important; urgent *? = risk; decision; uncertain
Word list.
Two Talk is a semantic shorthand system and you can (and should) assign meanings to symbol pairs that make sense to you.
@@ = self; me; owner; myself; I; personal @> = delegate; assignee; handoff; send to person; assign @< = from person; source; sender; client; receive from @! = confirmed person; teammate; stakeholder; verified; known @? = unknown person; unassigned; who?; uncertain; TBD person @+ = manager; boss; lead; superior; director; head @- = blocker; opposition; problem person; junior; subordinate @= = peer; colleague; equal; partner; teammate; coworker ## = item; thing; task; object; stuff; work item #> = deliverable; output; ship; result; product; completion #< = input; requirement; need; dependency; prerequisite #! = done task; completed; finished; closed; resolved #? = unclear task; what?; unknown item; question; uncertain work #+ = new task; add; resource; more; additional; increase #- = canceled task; cut; remove; delete; eliminated #= = document; file; ongoing; backlog; current; existing ^^ = location; place; site; venue; area; spot ^> = destination; going to; outbound; target location; headed ^< = origin; from location; inbound; source place; coming from ^! = arrived; onsite; here; present; at location ^? = unknown location; where?; uncertain place; TBD location ^+ = office; workspace; onsite; headquarters; main location ^- = remote; home; offsite; away; external; distributed ^= = staying; here; static; current location; same place :: = time; when; timing; duration; schedule; period :> = future; later; postpone; upcoming; next; after :< = past; earlier; before; previous; history; ago :! = deadline; now; urgent; today; immediate; due :? = unscheduled; TBD time; when?; uncertain timing; flexible :+ = soon; upcoming; starting; beginning; near; approaching :- = late; delayed; overdue; behind; missed; slow := = recurring; regular; routine; ongoing; repeated; scheduled ~~ = activity; doing; work; action; execute; perform ~> = push; send; ship; follow-up; chase; advance; forward ~< = pull; get; fetch; review; receive; retrieve; backward ~! = done action; success; completed; achieved; finished ~? = maybe action; proposed; how?; uncertain; consider; explore ~+ = start; begin; launch; initiate; create; open ~- = stop; pause; blocked; waiting; halt; end; close ~= = continue; keep; maintain; flow; sustain; persist ** = status; state; condition; mode; level; situation *> = improving; up; rising; better; increasing; growing *< = declining; down; falling; worse; decreasing; shrinking *! = critical; important; urgent; priority; key; essential *? = risk; uncertain; decision; why?; unknown status; variable *+ = good; energized; win; happy; positive; high; strong *- = bad; tired; problem; sad; negative; low; weak *= = stable; steady; neutral; normal; balanced; consistent %% = money; value; cost; price; amount; financial %> = payment out; expense; spend; outflow; paying; cost %< = payment in; revenue; income; inflow; receiving; earning %! = budget; confirmed cost; price; fixed amount; approved %? = unknown cost; pricing question; estimate; TBD cost; uncertain %+ = profit; gain; expensive; valuable; premium; high value %- = loss; cheap; discount; affordable; low cost; markdown %= = same price; break-even; flat; unchanged; neutral cost "" = message; communication; chat; conversation; dialogue; talk "> = send message; tell; inform; speak; transmit; announce "< = receive message; hear; listen; read; get; understand "! = confirmed info; announcement; reply; answer; verified; stated "? = ask; question; query; unclear; request; inquire "+ = praise; encourage; good news; thanks; positive; appreciation "- = criticism; mute; confidential; secret; private; negative "= = ongoing chat; same message; routine; standard; usual; normalTwo Talk was created by Barney Matthews. Find him on the web at www.barney.me.