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Pedants' corner

Barbecue

(9 Posts)
adaunas Tue 19-Sep-17 10:01:18

Why do people persist in spelling barbecue incorrectly? I know it's shortened to BBQ but the wind is NOT barbeque. It should be pronounced with a k sound like antique if it was spelled with a q.

adaunas Tue 19-Sep-17 10:01:36

Word not wind!

JackyB Tue 19-Sep-17 12:48:58

I thought it came from the French "Barbe à queue" - i.e. the whole animal from snout to tail is cooked on the spit at once. That is why it's spelt Barbeque.

Scribbles Tue 19-Sep-17 14:47:10

adaunas, there is no reason why 'barbeque' should not be pronounced with a Q sound, as in 'queue'.
JackyB, I'd never heard of that before but it makes perfect sense. Thanks!smile

vampirequeen Tue 19-Sep-17 15:03:04

I've been told that a bbq should be called a braai.

jollyg Tue 19-Sep-17 15:57:16

My spelling is verging on awful, but I do try.

Please excuse any misdemeanours.

Took me 3 tries to spell please.

Scribbles Tue 19-Sep-17 19:24:19

I have S. African friends who always call a barbecue a braai . I think it translates from Afrikaans as 'roast'.

grannyticktock Tue 19-Sep-17 23:09:38

It's not a French word, it comes from Spanish "barbacoa", which in turn probably comes from the Carribean. The French don't spell it with q either.

JackyB Wed 20-Sep-17 08:21:32

That is certainly true according to this very good, well researched and balanced article:

amazingribs.com/BBQ_articles/barbecue_defined.html

Perhaps we should just go Aussie and call it a barbie and avoid the question altogether.