But that’s just us showing our linguistic versatility.) (Also, “qué” is a Spanish word for “what”. In actuality, when you’re searching for “que management”, you can be mistaken for a person interested in administration of Quebec, of which “que” is a shortened form. At first, it seems perfectly suited for our modern times - a snappy, abbreviated form of a word that already has two too many vowels. To help you remember the difference between the “cue” and “queue”, take a look at this quote from Keeping Time by Stacey McGlynn (2010):ĭaisy, sensing that if she didn’t hightail it out of there right behind the trim man with the trim laptop, the beefy-headed man would run her right over. (Guess “cue management”, in this case, means dusting off your pool cue collection.)Īlternatively, “cue” also means a hint or a signal for something to happen. What does “cue” mean? If you’ve ever played pool, billiards or snooker, you will know that the term “cue” refers to a rod used for hitting balls. It’s the same problem with their / they’re / there. they sound the same when you pronounce them. It’s common for people to mix up these two terms because they are homophones, i.e. “Cue”, although similar to the Old French word which gave us “queue”, is another term entirely. On the off-chance that you’re one of the people who can’t remember the correct spelling, here’s a short version: it’s spelled ‘queue’.īut let’s go over everything from the beginning.įirst of all, the “queue” versus “cue” debate. You wouldn’t believe how many people out there are searching for “que management system”, “cue management software”, or even “q management”. Which spelling is correct: queue, que, cue or Q? Spelling It Out: The Correct Use of “Queue” Sadly, unlike queues-as-in-hairstyle, queues-as-in-waiting-lines proved to be more impervious to time, and they still remain a part of our lives. In 1800, queues were discontinued in the British Army, while the Royal Navy sailors continued to style their hair until 1820s. It is a typically male-worn hairstyle that is associated with Native Americans but was also mandatory in the Prussian Army.īritish soldiers in the 18th century wore their hair in queues - pulled-back single tails tied down with a ribbon. “Queue” also has an alternative definition of “braid of hair hanging down behind”. Starting from the 16th century, “queue” became associated with a line of dancers.įinally, almost three hundred years after, it became synonymous with a line of people. Compare this to its Latin equivalent - “coda” or “cauda” - with the same meaning.Īt first, the word “queue” was used to describe tails, especially tails of heraldic beasts. More likely, “queue” comes from the Old French “cue” or “coe”, which means “tail”. The word “queue” in its intended meaning (“a line of people”) dates back to 1837. It has four vowels but is pronounced exactly as a single letter - Q. You’re not alone in thinking that “queue” is a strange word, especially for the English language. So take out your pencils and your notepads, it’s time to get learning. This article will not only answer all of these questions but also introduce you to the concept of the language of queuing.

Where did this word come from? How do you pronounce it? What’s the correct definition and meaning? The thing is, we’ve talked so much about queues, but not enough about the word itself - “queue”. Not everything can be solved by using a spell-checker, sometimes it pays to learn the correct terminology and spelling. Like with all disciplines, there is a specific language to queuing. One of the more popular search queries is, “Is it queue or que?”. The Language of Queuing: Correct Etymology, Definition, and Uses

Queue hair