• You are not logged in.

    Making a word list to work out the right hand pinky

    • Started by pinkyache
    • 9 Replies:
    • Reputation: 7
    • Registered: 21-Apr-2010
    • Posts: 818

    Formerly titled: 'Dvorak right pinky workout word list'.  I've changed the post slightly to fit in a little better with the Colemak forum.

    Here's a right handed pinky lesson generated using the program 'dict', taking the words from the moby-thesaurus.  I made it for Dvorak to mainly test how bad the 'ls' and 'sl' digraphs are.  These get a bad press, as they require the use of the same finger.  Dvorak can overload the right pinky, especially if you are not used to it (e.g. coming from Qwerty).   Personally I don't really find the digraphs that awkward.  I am however slightly slower with these words.

    Under Colemak: 'O' is the only letter to fall under the right pinky, so the lesson might not translate all that well.  You could use a variant of the following commands to construct other word lists.  These might be useful for troublesome digraphs or same finger workouts.

    $ dict -m -s regexp 'sl'
    $ dict -m -s regexp 'ls'
    advantageously aimlessly aisle also annals anxiously asleep atrociously backslapper backslide backsliding balls balsam bifocals bolster bowels bullshit businesslike carelessly compulsion compulsive compulsively compulsory consciously conspicuously convulse convulsion credentials details devils dislike dislocate dislocated dislocation dislodge disloyal disloyalty doubtlessly effortlessly else else elsewhere emulsify emulsion endlessly enslave entrails evulsion expeditiously expressly expulsion externals false falsehearted falsehood falsely falseness falsetto falsification falsified falsify falsity famously ferociously fingernails foothills footslog fulsome furiously gaslike gaslit generalship generously genitals gosling graciously grassland grievously grisly grossly harmoniously hassle heartlessly heedlessly heels hideously humorously impetuously impulse impulse impulsive impulsively impulsiveness industrials industriously infamously initials instantaneously island isle judiciously laboriously landslide laurels legislate legislation legislative legislator legislature LSD maelstrom magnanimously maliciously measles millstone millstream morals nuptials palsied palsy palsy pollster propulsion propulsion propulsion pulsar pulsate pulsating pulsation pulse pulsing quarrelsome repulse repulsion repulsive revulsion revulsive slam slate slave slicker slide slip slow souls spoils toilsome upholstery victuals vitals wellspring welsh welsher wheels

    It's quite a brutal pinky workout (compounded if you make any errors!)   I've combined them into one long list alphabetically (this might not actually be the best order).  I could have added the 'ss' digraph, which might add more regular words than the ones listed.

    I would probably advise mixing the words into your own texts to gently toughen the pinky rather than hammering it all in one go.  Some prefer intense drills, so I'll let you do as you please with the list.  Just be careful, especially if you are a newcomer to Dvorak.

    The list feels quite vowel heavy, perhaps that's just my perception, but I found it an interesting work out for the left hand under Dvorak (as it places all the vowels there.)

    I'm interested in general fingering patterns that might benefit the typist, and incorporating them into practice texts.  Is there a 'method' in making good typing lessons?  Has anyone noticed any obvious/good patterns in their typing software?

    A pattern drill for the left hand could be something like this: 1234432112344321.

    Layout agnostic lessons could be constructed from such patterns. Would this be a good idea - or do you think Dvorak/Qwerty/Colemak fingering is wildly different in style - should you focus on problem areas/digraphs/words instead?

    Last edited by pinkyache (27-Dec-2012 00:48:30)

    --
    Physicians deafen our ears with the Honorificabilitudinitatibus of their heavenly Panacaea, their sovereign Guiacum.

    Offline
    • 0
    • Reputation: 0
    • Registered: 16-Dec-2012
    • Posts: 75

    Have you used Klavaro? It randomly generates patterns of five letters long using the letters introduced on each lesson (for example "asdf") And each lesson introduces letters from the same row. You can edit your own lesson but they are not layout agnostic. I edited the lessons to practice with the letters from a column instead of from a row. You know, to practice same finger usage too...

    Offline
    • 0
    • Reputation: 210
    • From: Viken, Norway
    • Registered: 13-Dec-2006
    • Posts: 5,343

    Errr... okay, so we discuss lots of other layouts on the Colemak forum. But Dvorak-specific workouts? Aren't there Dvorak forums for that kind of thing? Or is Dvorak dead and this is the last march of the Ents spilling over to Colemak? *confused*

    *** Learn Colemak in 2–5 steps with Tarmak! ***
    *** Check out my Big Bag of Keyboard Tricks for Win/Linux/TMK... ***

    Offline
    • 0
    • Reputation: 7
    • Registered: 21-Apr-2010
    • Posts: 818

    Oh what's the matter with you, over done it during the holidays or something, getting all grumpy?

    I know it's a Dvorak workout, but I was hinting and asking about finger workouts that could potentially be used that are layout agnostic. 

    @vjustin,  I do use Klavaro/Amphetype, and do use my own texts with it.

    I don't want a random list of letters.  That's not what I was getting at.  I thought that some of the professional software (that I don't have at hand,) might have very layout specific typing lessons, and in as such they might follow some patterns and principles. Perhaps they are just simple lists of random letters from each row though.

    It might be good to then construct a few layout agnostic lessons from some simple principles, and release them as open source to plug into XYZ tutor.  Just a thought.

    I'm sure there are Dvorak forums elsewhere, I'll try and eek them out.  I generally try and post layout agnostic touch typing questions and comments here.

    You could take the same command as listed above, as guidance on generating a Colemak lesson for the right hand.  Rather than you agitating your middle finger.

    Last edited by pinkyache (26-Dec-2012 17:36:50)

    --
    Physicians deafen our ears with the Honorificabilitudinitatibus of their heavenly Panacaea, their sovereign Guiacum.

    Offline
    • 0
    • Reputation: 210
    • From: Viken, Norway
    • Registered: 13-Dec-2006
    • Posts: 5,343

    Nope, not grumpy. I do think it's a fair question though: Naturally I and others go to the Colemak forums to look for Colemak-related stuff. If someone started discussing something too tangential then either they would need to take it elsewhere or we'd need an Off-Topic forum of some sort (but those can easily get quite silly - which may or may not be a bad thing depending on who you ask).

    So if we Colemak users go to our User Contributions forum and find it flooded with all sorts of other layouts, naturally that's confusing to some of us. And if Dvorak users are taking over these forums for their own purposes then I at least hope that it'll get moderated (making a forum for Other Layouts would be the kind-hearted approach).

    *** Learn Colemak in 2–5 steps with Tarmak! ***
    *** Check out my Big Bag of Keyboard Tricks for Win/Linux/TMK... ***

    Offline
    • 0
    • Reputation: 0
    • Registered: 16-Dec-2012
    • Posts: 75

    ...generating a Colemak lesson for the right hand.  Rather than you agitating your middle finger.

    Lol

    (making a forum for Other Layouts would be the kind-hearted approach).

    that'd be great...

    Offline
    • 0
    • Reputation: 0
    • Registered: 22-Aug-2012
    • Posts: 10

    Hello. Pinkyache, is there any way I can contact you outside these forums, A mailing address perhaps?. Thanks.  I want your valuable advice on improving my keyboarding.

    Offline
    • 0
    • Reputation: 210
    • From: Viken, Norway
    • Registered: 13-Dec-2006
    • Posts: 5,343

    There's an Email button next to each post you could use! On my email client though there's a problem with returning addresses so to be sure you should probably cite your own email address in the message text.

    *** Learn Colemak in 2–5 steps with Tarmak! ***
    *** Check out my Big Bag of Keyboard Tricks for Win/Linux/TMK... ***

    Offline
    • 0
    • Reputation: 7
    • Registered: 21-Apr-2010
    • Posts: 818

    @dark-side, I'd ask that kind of question here in the forum under another thread.  There are far more proficient touch typists available within the forum.  I put off learning how to touch type for years, and am self taught, and use an esoteric layout.  Plus I am slightly disabled, and as such am not the best keyboard proponent, and wouldn't dare say I was an expert.

    Last edited by pinkyache (18-Jan-2013 20:02:14)

    --
    Physicians deafen our ears with the Honorificabilitudinitatibus of their heavenly Panacaea, their sovereign Guiacum.

    Offline
    • 0
    • Reputation: 0
    • Registered: 22-Aug-2012
    • Posts: 10

    Oh, I see.

    Offline
    • 0