Monday 2 April 2012

a quiz on letter-sound correspondences - no. 1

The letter <q> is usually followed by <u> and the resultant digraph <qu> is generally pronounced /kw/.
Can you think of the following exceptions:
  1. <qu> represents /k/ (without /w/)?
  2. <q> is not followed by <u> and also represents /k/?

credit: dailycoloringpages.com

    10 comments:

    1. I am still to see 'qu'-spellings pronounced as /k/ without /w/.

      ReplyDelete
    2. bar-b-q, BBQ, cinq, FAQ, Inupiaq,Nasdaq, POSSLQ,
      "Q said the [bus] conductor" P G Wodehouse
      mind your p's and q's...

      ReplyDelete
    3. Gentlemen - Than-Q!
      BTW: I had 'liquor' in mind.

      ReplyDelete
    4. unique, boutique, Mozambique, pique, Martinique, appliqué, bezique...

      BTW

      How to break the Ice at Parties

      Candy is dandy,
      But liquor is quicker.

      ~ Ogden Nash

      ReplyDelete
    5. BTW again

      There are quite a few speakers (I am married to one such) who have no /w/ in words like 'quarter' when a potential /kw/ cluster is followed by /ɔː/. So Mrs M. says /kɔːtə/ not /kwɔːtə/.

      ReplyDelete
      Replies
      1. When the clock chimed ten and a quarter,
        it was in the aisle that he caught her.
        [...]

        Delete