Touch Keyboard Configuration

Is there any way - either via setting, or available in an API call - to translate a horizontal swipe on the keyboard to a vertical scroll action irrespective of orientation?

In the usual position I find vertical swipes lack range and I frequently trigger an upward swipe by running too far off the top of the keyboard.

The spacebar helps with paging, and I can rotate to use the full length, but I'd prefer to maintain standard orientation and make better use of the available touch area.

There are some circumstances where it might interfere with backswiping for deletions, but I would sacrifice that.

There is definitely nothing in the settings. I recall a thread where that was discussed rather thoroughly.

Someone else will have to chime in about the API possibility.