4

Is there a word for the ability to type without looking?

ex:
Because bob is _______ he can watch the lecturer and type simultaneously.

Improve this question
1
  • 1
    The word you are looking for is Awesome...
    – JensB
    Commented Jan 18, 2015 at 18:52

4 Answers 4

Reset to default
16

There are two possible candidates for your blank:

Because Bob is touch-typing, he can watch the lecturer and type simultaneously.

and

Because Bob is a touch-typist, he can watch the lecturer and type simultaneously.

Improve this answer
3
  • subtle potential point of confusion: i believe "touch typing" is often conflated with how one types. "touch type" is the opposite of "hunt and peck", even though one could and hunt and peck without looking (i do so at 100wpm), or need to look while using the home row.
    – Eevee
    Commented Jan 18, 2015 at 22:42
  • @Eevee I don't think so. Erik is absolutely correct.
    – user63230
    Commented Jan 19, 2015 at 9:08
  • Touché!!!!!!!!!
    – Hot Licks
    Commented Mar 9, 2020 at 20:38
3

I would fill your blank with "a touch typist." However, if your writing is meant to be more colloquial, you might say "Because Bob types by touch."

Improve this answer
6
  • 1
    Perhaps "touch-type" as a conjoined word would work rather than the phrase touch typist?
    – timothy.s.lau
    Commented Jan 18, 2015 at 3:05
  • You could certainly say "Because Bob touch types..."
    – Sasha Vodnik
    Commented Jan 18, 2015 at 3:16
  • 2
    I meant "Because Bob can touch-type he can watch the lecturer and type simultaneously."
    – timothy.s.lau
    Commented Jan 18, 2015 at 3:18
  • That certainly works, although I'd replace the hyphen with a space (Because Bob can touch type, ...). The preference for a hyphen over a space can vary regionally, though.
    – Sasha Vodnik
    Commented Jan 18, 2015 at 3:51
  • 1
    @timothy.s.lau - I think your sentence is fine, with the hyphen.
    – Hot Licks
    Commented Jan 18, 2015 at 4:17
2

The German expression is "blind schreiben" ( to type blind/blindly) meaning someone can type without looking at the keys. I just have to look whether this expression is also used in English or whether there is another expression.

Added: No, the English expression is to touch-type. I like the German metaphor. Actually I find the English expression a bit curious as you can't type without touching the keys.

Improve this answer
2
  • 3
    It's because you type by touch (or by feel, using your sense of touch as your only sensory input) instead of type by sight (or by vision, using your eyesight as your sensory input) ... the phrases by sight, by touch, by smell, etc, refer to sensory input.
    – ChrisW
    Commented Jan 18, 2015 at 15:02
  • It's because you touch-type, not sight-type or taste-type. A touch typist relies on touch alone, not on sight or smell or mice.
    – tchrist ♦
    Commented Jan 18, 2015 at 20:30
0

I have heard people saying "blind-typing". For example, this website - TypingStudy uses the expression as well.

Improve this answer
1
  • Welcome to English Language & Usage @Annil. The page you link mentions touch typing 6 times and blind-typing not at all. It makes for a stronger answer when you support it with external material, but it is better if the linked material says what you say it does :-)
    – user63230
    Commented Jan 19, 2015 at 9:13

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .