Fact · Typing and writing speed
Some historians reject the explanation that Densmore's letter-pair study shaped QWERTY, and attribute the letter groupings to feedback from American Morse telegraph operators.
Checked against its source on October 16, 2026
In the source's own words
“Others consider this conjecture to be unfounded, suggesting instead that the letter groupings evolved from American Morse telegraph operators' feedback”
QWERTY (Wikipedia), Wikipedia, 2026, History section.
Open the original- What it measures
- The article notes that the adjacent e and r keys are a common pairing in English, which fits this account. Neither account involves a plan to slow typists.
- What it does not show
- A contested historical account. The article cites a Japanese study by Koichi and Motoko Yasuoka on the telegraph origins of QWERTY, which was not read in full for this guide.