Turkish F-keyboard

Lore & Background

The Turkish F-keyboard was designed in 1955 under the leadership of İhsan Sıtkı Yener, with letter frequencies investigated using the Turkish Language Association. A comprehensive study in 1956 analyzed 29,934 Turkish words, and a detailed table published in the December 1956 issue of Sekreter Daktilograf magazine provided insights into letter frequencies. These statistics were combined with studies on bone and muscle anatomy of the fingers to design the layout.

A significant feature is its organization based on letter frequency: the most frequently used consonant, "K," is positioned under the right index finger, while the most common vowel, "A," is under the left index finger. The least frequently used letter, "J," is assigned to the left little finger. All vowel keys were placed on the left hand side to optimize typing flow, as Turkish allows no more than two consecutive consonants within a word.

Despite its efficiency, the modified QWERTY keyboard ("Q-keyboard") is used on most computers in Turkey. Until the 1990s, it was legally required that all typewriters imported into Turkey used the standard F-keyboard layout. However, as personal computers proliferated with American QWERTY keyboards, authorities interpreted the regulation as applying only to typewriters, exempting computers. Apple was the only manufacturer adhering to Turkish regulations by providing F-keyboards, but later adjusted to offer Turkish QWERTY as default.

Reader's Guide

The Turkish F-keyboard's significance lies in its scientific preparation and proven performance. Based on the 1956 study of letter frequencies and hand anatomy, the layout provides a balanced distribution of typing effort: 49% for the left hand and 51% for the right. This arrangement, combined with placing all vowel keys on the left hand, allows proficient typists to use an alternating rhythm between hands, enhancing efficiency for Turkish words.

Turkey broke 14 world records in typewriting championships between 1957 and 1995 using this layout. In 2009, Recep Ertaş and in 2011, Hakan Kurt from Turkey came in first in the text production event of the 47th and 48th Intersteno congresses respectively. Despite this, the modified QWERTY keyboard became prevalent due to changes starting in the late 1980s, as personal computers with American QWERTY keyboards entered the market and regulations were reinterpreted to exempt computers. The first imported keyboards lacked unique Turkish letters (Ğ, Ş, Ç, İ, ı, Ü, Ö), requiring software solutions and stickers. Apple initially provided F-keyboards but later switched to Turkish QWERTY as default, offering the F-keyboard as an option.

Did You Know?

• A 1956 study analyzed 29,934 Turkish words to determine letter frequencies for the layout.
• The most frequently used consonant, 'K,' is placed under the right index finger, and the most common vowel, 'A,' under the left index finger.