The reason why the written records of a meeting are called the minutes is because, in order to keep up, the minute-taker wrote in a shorthand or abbreviation.
The word used to describe this condensed writing was minute (my-noot), meaning “small,” and because the spelling is the same, the minutes (my-noots) became minutes.
The same circumstances apply to Frederick Chopin’s Minute Waltz.
It’s really his small or minute (my-noot) waltz.
Shorthand is a method of rapid handwriting using simple strokes, abbreviations, or symbols that designate letters, words, or phrases, and is often used for minutes at business meetings.
