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    Phonetic Typing

    • Started by PherricOxide
    • 2 Replies:
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    • Registered: 11-Aug-2011
    • Posts: 3

    This isn't related to keyboard layouts specifically, but is a general typing question. Do you sound out words as you type them, or do you spell out words letter by letter? While switching from QWERTY (80wpm+) DVORAK (yes I know this is a Colemak forum, they don't have any good forums so I lurk here instead), I've realized that I can now copy text at about 40WPM, but actually typing my own thoughts is a lot slower than that. While taking a typing test with both layouts, I noticed a very distinct difference in my thinking when taking them.

    In QWERTY, I type almost entirely what I would call phonetically. I don't consciously think about spelling at all, and I sound out the word in my head as I type it. Complicated words that I don't know how to spell slow down my speed a lot, while simple words increase it. In DVORAK, I find myself naturally spelling out words letter by letter as I type. This made me think about the people I see on these forums that hit a barrier around 40-50WPM. I could easily see this as being an upper limit if you're thinking about each letter/finger role and not getting to the point where it becomes unconscious when you think of the words.

    So, a little survey for my theory, how fast do you type? What do you think about when typing (spell things out or just unconsciously spell)? Do you type significantly slower on words you're not sure how to spell or random text?

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    • From: Sofia, Bulgaria
    • Registered: 05-Mar-2011
    • Posts: 387

    When learning a new layout, obviously, you type letter by letter. After a while, in my experience, you have muscle-memorized quite a few common sequence of letters, and even whole common words. You don't even think about it, but you do. An example is just the speed you type the common words and the more uncommon once. I for example learnt Colemak to a decent speed when I decided to make a phonetic layout for Bulgarian - my mother language, since I used to type Bulgarian on phonetic Qwerty. Which btw didn't affect my Colemak progress. So it felt reeealy awkward in the beginning. I know how the words are spelled, I know the keyboard, but I had to type letter by letter, whereas on English I type more or less series of letter sequences.
    With Dvorak the case is still similar but not quite. I felt the same think as you when I was using it, but that was just for 2-3 months if I'm not wrong (how long I used Dvorak, I mean). Dvorak has amazing hand alternation which kind of reduces the hand rolls. So it's a little bit different when it comes to memorizing common letter sequences. But still I think, and correct me if I'm wrong, that you're still too fresh on Dvorak and that's the reason you see a difference between rewriting a text in front of you and writing your own thoughts. That kind of experience I have only for a while when I learn a new layout. That is in the period when I'm used to make typing drills and I'm moving on to typing my own texts. After you get comfortable with the layout there shouldn't be any difference. At least there isn't for me.
    To your question: I type 75-80 wpm on longer texts. I've used Colemak for about half a year now, and I'm at my "top game". I don't expect a lot more improvement :).

    Last edited by pafkata90 (16-Aug-2011 02:15:04)
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    • Registered: 08-Dec-2010
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    Your typing skills are exercised in several phases

    1. Muscle memory:
    You can touch type what's on screen.

    2. Muscle memory integrated with brain's hearing part.
    You can touch type what are being dictated to you.

    3. Muscle memory integrated with brain's thinking part.
    You can touch type what you are thinking.

    4. Muscle memory integrated with the whole YOU
    You sit there, do nothing, just watch and adore yourself. Your brain and your fingers do it all.

    To reach that final level where your typing skills are effortlessly integrated with all parts of your brain, it would take several years.

    nike-just-do-it.jpg

    Last edited by Tony_VN (17-Aug-2011 03:41:22)
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