Can a person write with more than one keyboard layouts?

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mech-eng
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Hi, all. I want to ask this question for a better usage of keyboards. I have read that Q-keyboards are not suitable for languages except for English. I write with ten fingers without looking keyboard. Can I learn another keyboard settings as if a person's learning of a second language.? Another example if a person try to learn, say French, should he learn the best keyboard setting for French to write better in French? My question is related with this topic. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touch_typing

Best Regards
 
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I "touch-type" too. I can't imagine being able to do it with two different keyboard layouts. It's so "automatic" for me that I can't imagine being able to switch back and forth easily. Maybe some people can do it, but I've never read about it.
 
At university I got pretty good at switching between a QWERTY and AZERTY keyboard thanks to my girlfriend at the time having the latter. It's been a few years so I doubt I could use it as easy now but back then I could touch type on both pretty well and switch with no problem. Like all things of this nature it just takes practice.
 
The "standard" USA and UK English keyboards have a worse difference: a different physical key layout. Switching form one to the other means typing letters when you mean to hit the shift key, etc.

The worst keyboard experience I've had was trying to configure some Unix workstation on our company network that belonged to a Spanish subsidiary company. All the special characters like / \ @ " { } [ ] % & $ # ! etc were completely randomized. Worst of all, the key marked ~ typed an accent, not a character!

"Reading the manual" didn't help. I can't read Spanish.
 
When we are in this topic I would like to ask a question as well. When I touch-write I only use letters, dot, and comma. I cannot use numbers or other symbols. I use them by looking at keyboard. How can I extend my touch-write skills?

Best Regards.
 
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Ryan_m_b said:
That's probably because of how infrequently you use those keys versus others.
Perhaps you could practice by typing out passages with lots of numbers.

Would you like to advise me a practice book please?
 
I have a keyboard installed for Russian and Spanish and it is no big deal to switch between them. If it is a non-Latin language like Hebrew or Arabic, you probably should get the little dual-language stickers.

There are other layouts like Dvorak which you can learn to type faster, but I'm sure you'll still be able to use QWERTY just like a Saxophone player can learn the Oboe or the Flute.