Whole-Word Typoes

Over the past couple years, I’ve gotten so I can type reasonably fast.

I think the speed allows me to make a kind of typing error I hadn’t made before, where I mistype not merely by misplacing letters, but by typing an entire valid word which isn’t the word I was thinking.

For instance, I often type “shit” when I’m thinking “this” or even “which”. It’s a bit surprising that it doesn’t go the other way, really — I say “shit” a lot but I’m sure I say “this” more? “Shit” feels somehow easier for my fingers to get out. Could it be because it starts on a “home key”?

I think I’ll collect them for a while! [2/3/04]

“thought” for “though” [2/4/04]
“this” for “shit” [2/13/04]
“would” for “sounds” [2/25/04]
“this” for “shit” [3/1/04]
“fart” for “raft” [3/1/04]
“subjective” for “subjunctive” [3/1/04]
“points” for “pounds” [3/2/04]
“this” for “shit” [3/4/04]
“was” for “saw” [3/10/04]
“oat” for “our” [3/15/04]

15 Responses to “Whole-Word Typoes”

  1. Wendy Says:

    I often finish words wrong, typing in one I commonly use when I mean something completely different. Like, stupidly enough, I type “blog” when I mean to type “black” or “blink” or anything beginning with b-l. Uggggghhhh.

  2. Desultor Says:

    I think I might’ve made the same mistake before. Maybe when I was typing “blood”, “blast” or “bludgeon”?

    I’m going to keep listing these:
    “should” for “thought” [3/18/04]

  3. Ezra Cooper Says:

    I just typed ‘fiend’ for ‘field.’

  4. Ezra Cooper Says:

    I was trying to type “Expr” (in a programming context, as a common abbreviation for “expression”) and I typed “Ezra”.

  5. Desultor Says:

    As often as not, when I type your name I start off with “Ex”. Those keys are confusing!

  6. Ezra Cooper Says:

    hmm; I just tried to type Ezra–I mean Exra–and I couldn’t do it by accident. I had to go and do it by purpose!

  7. Erica Says:

    I routinely spell my name “Eria” when writing it by hand. When just typing “spell”, I typed “smell.” It’s catching…

    You should keep a record of what “this” refers to when you replace it with “shit”. I think it might be significant.

  8. Desultor Says:

    That’s an interesting idea – might provide me a window into my psyche!

    “translation” for “translating” [3/25/2004]
    “shit” for “this” [3/31/04] (writing about the process of replicating a somewhat eccentric and ill-documented weblog server from tape backup onto a whole nother machine)
    “tent” for “tend” [4/6/04]
    “jesse” for “jesus” [4/6/04]
    “fluctuation” for “fluctuating” [4/7/04]
    “shell” for “shall” [4/8/04]
    “gat” for “tar” [4/9/04]

  9. Desultor Says:

    “it” for “i.e.” [4/17/04]
    “df” for “cd” [4/20/04] [referring to a cd-rom]

  10. ezra Says:

    “ezra” for “extras”

    It’s comforting to see that I’m not the only person who substitutes his own name for other things.

  11. Desultor Says:

    I note that the substitions both tend toward grandiosity!

    “change” for “chance” [4/30/04]
    “right” for “rich” [5/03/04]
    “jesse” for “jesus” [5/6/04]
    “this” for “shit” [5/7/04]
    “talk” for “take” [5/12/04]
    “shit” for “chips” [5/12/04]
    “night” for “not” [5/12/04 - in phrase, "might not"]
    “ghout” for “though” [5/17/04 - not really a word, but pleasantly Shavian...]

  12. Desultor Says:

    “would” for “sounds” [5/17/04]
    “that” for “than” [5/19/04]
    “their” for “they’re” [5/22/04]
    “kind” for “kid” [5/25/04 - "kid" as in "child". I'm especially proud of this one.]
    “like” for “link” [5/25/04]
    “feed” for “food” [5/25/04]
    “code” for “could” [5/27/04 - in a sentence referring to a license code]
    “piss” for “paste” [5/27/04 - while referring to a pasted IM conversation, but looking back at the following]

    [16:47] desultor: i piss on your spit!
    [16:47] suetonius: i shit on your piss!

  13. Desultor Says:

    “thought” for “though” [6/03/04]

  14. ezra Says:

    “cunt” for “count”
    “shit” for “shift”

    (both fairly common)

    i’m ashamed

  15. Desultor Says:

    “data” for “dad” [6/8/04 - I'm not without shame either]
    “couldn’t've” for “could’ve” [6/8/04]
    “internet” for “internship” [6/10/04]
    “while” for “whirl” [6/14/04 - in phr. "give it a whirl"]
    “and” for “aunt” [7/8/04]
    “and” for “on” [7/8/04]
    “since” for “sense” [7/13/04]
    “this” for “shit” [7/13/04]
    “blogs” for “blocks” [7/13/04 - my shame knows no bounds]
    “nothing” for “notion” [7/19/04]
    “day” for “sea” [7/19/04]
    “say” for “sea” [7/19/04 - three backspaces after the preceding]
    “since” for “sense” [7/22/04]
    “this” for “shit” [7/22/04]
    “many” for “maybe” [7/22/04]
    “internet” for “intern” [7/22/04]
    “ridge” for “ride” [7/22/04 - talking about taking a bike ride]
    “internet” for “interns” [7/23/04]
    “cause” for “caught” [7/23/04]
    “difference” for “different” [7/26/04]
    “place” for “plans” [7/26/04]
    “they” for “the” [7/27/04]
    “nads” for “hands” [7/28/04 - in "i may have lettuce and mayo and shit on my hands"]
    “late” for “weight” [7/29/04]
    “erring” for “erin” [8/17/04]
    “mini-cock” for “mini-dock” [9/29/04]

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