You have probably already typed these letters on your keyboard, out of boredom or curiosity. But do you know why the keyboard keys are arranged in this order? What is the origin of the AZERTY layout, used mainly in France and Belgium? And are there alternatives that are more ergonomic and more adapted to the French language?
In this article, we will explain everything you need to know about the history and evolution of the AZERTY keyboard.
The origin of the AZERTY keyboard
The AZERTY keyboard is an adaptation of the QWERTY keyboard, invented in the United States in the 19th century for typewriters. QWERTY was designed to prevent neighboring key stems from jamming when typing quickly. To do this, the most frequent letters in English were moved away from each other on the keyboard.
The AZERTY keyboard appeared in France at the end of the 19th century, as a variant of QWERTY adapted to the specificities of the French language. The letters A and Q are reversed, as are the letters Z and W. The M is placed at the end of the last alphabetical row, not next to the N as in QWERTY. Additional keys are added for accents and special characters, such as ç, è or à.
The limits of the AZERTY keyboard
The AZERTY keyboard is today the most widespread in France and Belgium, but it has many disadvantages. First of all, it is not very ergonomic, because it requires you to often use the same hand or the same finger to type frequent letters.
For example, E, which is the most used letter in French, is in the same row as R, T, Y, U and I, which puts a lot of strain on the right index finger. Likewise, the A, S, D and F are in the same row as the Q, W, X and C, which tires the left index finger.
Then, the AZERTY keyboard is not very practical for writing French correctly, because it makes it difficult to access certain punctuation marks or certain accented capital letters.
For example, to type a question mark, you must press the Shift key and the 6 key. To type a capital E, you must do a three-key combination: Alt Gr + Shift + 2. Certain characters, such as the œ or the “”, are not even present on the standard AZERTY keyboard .
Alternatives to the AZERTY keyboard
Faced with the problems posed by the AZERTY keyboard, initiatives have been launched to offer alternative layouts that are more ergonomic and more adapted to French. Among them, we can cite:
- BÉPO: it is a layout inspired by the Dvorak method, which consists of placing the most frequent letters in the center of the keyboard, on the rest row. The BÉPO reduces finger movement and balances the use of both hands. It also facilitates access to accents and punctuation marks. BÉPO has been recognized as an experimental standard since 2009 6.
- Improved AZERTY: this is a provision proposed by AFNOR (French Standardization Association) in 2016, as part of a voluntary standard project for the French keyboard. The improved AZERTY retains the basic layout of the AZERTY keyboard, but it introduces modifications to make writing French easier, such as the possibility of making accented capital letters with the Shift key, or the addition of keys for œ, “ ” or the en-dash. The improved AZERTY is compatible with existing keyboards, you just need to change the operating system settings .
What are the differences between the enhanced AZERTY keyboard and the standard AZERTY keyboard?
The improved AZERTY keyboard is a proposal from AFNOR to standardize and modernize the French keyboard. It differs from the standard AZERTY keyboard in several aspects:
- It allows you to make accented capital letters with the Shift key, without having to use the Alt Gr key or a complex key combination.
- It adds keys for French-specific characters, like œ, “,” €, or en dash.
- It changes the arrangement of certain symbols, such as the question mark, exclamation mark or semicolon, to make them more accessible.
- It introduces a dead key for ligatures, such as æ or fl.
How to use the improved AZERTY keyboard?
To use the improved AZERTY keyboard, you must follow these steps:
- Download and install the NF Z71-300 standard on your computer, following the instructions available on the AFNOR website.
- Change the keyboard layout in the operating system settings, choosing Enhanced AZERTY as the default layout or as an alternative option.
- Get used to the new keys and new symbols by consulting the user guide provided by AFNOR.
- Optionally, change the stickers or keys on your physical keyboard so that they correspond to the enhanced AZERTY layout.
Conclusion
The AZERTY keyboard is the result of a historical adaptation of the QWERTY keyboard, but it is not optimal for writing in French. There are more ergonomic and practical alternatives, such as BÉPO or improved AZERTY, which can be adopted by users concerned about their comfort and the quality of their writing.
And you, what keyboard layout do you use? Are you ready to change your habits to try a new keyboard?
