Why not just write 'Q' rather than Queue

@allknowing (136440)
India
December 10, 2016 2:14am CST
The letter Q sounds just perfect when we write about standing in line. Why write it as 'queue'? OK if 'Q' looks odd then atleast just write it as 'que' But no. It has to be written as 'queue'. Whoever originated this must have had strong reasons. Anyone knows what those reasons were?
9 people like this
9 responses
Fiacre Banks
@xFiacre (13014)
• Ireland
10 Dec 16
@allknowing The strange spelling was introduced to annoy and frustrate children who were learning to write.
4 people like this
pgn
@pgntwo (22408)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
10 Dec 16
Yes. I much preferred "dire rear" to the proper spelling of that particular condition in dictation classes at school.
2 people like this
Always smiling
@allknowing (136440)
• India
10 Dec 16
Then there are words where 't' is silent e.g.bouquet It could have been easier if it was written like bukay. I tend to agree with you (lol)
1 person likes this
Fiacre Banks
@xFiacre (13014)
• Ireland
10 Dec 16
@allknowing However there is an elegance to these eccentric spellings that I enjoy.
1 person likes this
pgn
@pgntwo (22408)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
10 Dec 16
Because of the rule that a Q must always be followed by a U in English :). Why not just call it "a line", as in "waiting in line"?
4 people like this
Always smiling
@allknowing (136440)
• India
10 Dec 16
I seriously think when this language was created all was not well
1 person likes this
Always smiling
@allknowing (136440)
• India
10 Dec 16
@pgntwo I have not heard about it but yes other languages do have issues but nothing compared to English. You have to agree with me on that one
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pgn
@pgntwo (22408)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
10 Dec 16
@allknowing Some languages use the Q to signify a glottal stop, like Luqa, the airport on the island of Malta. Native speakers of English have a very hard time with that one.
1 person likes this
Koalemos
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
10 Dec 16
If you just use the letter Q it will be indistinguishable from CUE or KEW
2 people like this
Koalemos
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
10 Dec 16
@allknowing If you say that you are standing in a queue then nobody would see the spelling. Words are often understood better in context than otherwise, so even if you write "stung by a b" it will be understood. We still need spellings to differentiate words, such as sow a seed or sew a dress.
2 people like this
Always smiling
@allknowing (136440)
• India
10 Dec 16
If I say I am standing in a Q surely it would not confuse anyone - Would it? Just asking. Anyway why queue? (lol)
1 person likes this
pgn
@pgntwo (22408)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
10 Dec 16
@Asylum So hard, especially as sow is also a female pig. Standing in a row can be confused (or confounded?) with row a boat or row and fight. I think "set" is the word with the most different meanings in English.
1 person likes this
Marlina
@marlina (154131)
• Canada
10 Dec 16
Queue is a French word.
2 people like this
Always smiling
@allknowing (136440)
• India
10 Dec 16
I did not know queue is a French word.
1 person likes this
Beatburn
@Beatburn (4286)
• Philippines
10 Dec 16
@allknowing Neither did I. We learn something new everyday.
1 person likes this
DianneN
@DianneN (247186)
• United States
10 Dec 16
Good point! I simple never use that word.
1 person likes this
Always smiling
@allknowing (136440)
• India
10 Dec 16
Abd poor us were taught to use that word (lol)
1 person likes this
Always smiling
@allknowing (136440)
• India
10 Dec 16
@DianneN This language is such that I think till the dying day we will have to refer to dictionaries - even the native speakers (lol)
1 person likes this
DianneN
@DianneN (247186)
• United States
10 Dec 16
@allknowing We don't use it here, thank goodness. Years ago I had to look for the meaning of it.
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Stessia Chids
@Stessia (192)
• Abuja, Nigeria
10 Dec 16
Queueing..... It suggest a never ending ... Its like a running tap... But while trying to figure it out, why don't you kill two birds with one stone by figuring out why "bee" wasn't just left at "B" but had to be accompanied by a double "e".
2 people like this
Always smiling
@allknowing (136440)
• India
10 Dec 16
Bee is written as b these days in the world of mobile phones By giving this example you have confused me more (lol)
Always smiling
@allknowing (136440)
• India
11 Dec 16
@Orson_Kart That is already used in mobile messaging (lol)
Max Crisp
@Orson_Kart (6776)
• United Kingdom
11 Dec 16
Likewise y instead of why? Queueing is a good word to use in scrabble if you're stuck with a load of vowels and that damn Q.
1 person likes this
egdcltd
@egdcltd (12059)
•
10 Dec 16
It's English. No logical reasons are required. (I think US English doesn't use the word, but uses line-up instead.)
1 person likes this
rebelann1949
@rebelann (112878)
• El Paso, Texas
10 Dec 16
I do, I do Star Trek copped that letter for one of their characters
Manisha
@ms1864 (6885)
• Bangalore, India
10 Dec 16
I have no idea...but i like your logic of just writing it as Q....sounds the same anyway. Now that you have mentioned it...the 'e' is not even relevant..
1 person likes this
Always smiling
@allknowing (136440)
• India
10 Dec 16
You remember Amitabh Bachhans lines in namak hallal? " I can talk english, I can walk english, I can laugh english, because english is a funny language" .
2 people like this
Manisha
@ms1864 (6885)
• Bangalore, India
11 Dec 16
1 person likes this