[scalem X]

First: I fear that it has to do with typing and the right and left half of the brain. Since both the E and the I are in the same position, it is really easy to mistake. This pc dyslexia is a great cause for stuff like this.

Poeple: 1,7 million hits

I fear it's not really a Tolkien thing.

Think of "definately": 17 million hits
(I must confess that I used to write it wrong, but if you surf a lot on the net and English people make the mistake...)