Err

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<hr>Estuary English? Hiss spit<hr></blockquote> ha ha!

and of COURSE quay is KEY. honestly. kway?? are some of you smoking crack??

No crack, nette, #90, I DO NOT, but by far the great majority of Americans DO pronounce "quay" as "kway". Thanks for a decent phonetic spelling.

Many, many years ago I tried to buy a Quay computer. Of course, I pronounced it "key". Everyone at the computer store just looked puzzled, until finally, I gritted my teeth and said I wanted a KWAY computer, then they were happy to take my money.

ha ha! in sydney, the part of sydney harbour between the opera house and the harbour bridge is called 'circular quay' - pronounced 'key' - but it's not the 'quay' bit that usually stumps people, it's the 'circular' bit. it's not circular at all. SEMI-circular, maybe, but even that is stretching it.

how do americans pronounce 'cay'?

how do americans pronounce 'cay'?

Cay? Huh? What's a 'cay?'

My American Heritage dictionary shows two correct pronunciations (in American English) for quay: key and kay. So yes, shilgia, one of them mimics the French pronunciation of quai.

nutrax, #93, A "cay" is a "key" - small island - as in the Florida Keys. What the correct pronunciation of "cay" is, I have no idea, but it's probably "key".

The Florida Keys is written 'Keys'??? I've never seen it written, only spoken, and always assumed that it was 'Cays'. That, then, explains the strange naming of Key Lime Pie.

In French, quai is pronounced kae -- I put the e instead of a y because it's not as strong as in English. I personally pronounce quay as kay and the first time I heard someone pronounced a Toronto street near the harbour as Queen's Key (spelled Quay) West I thought it was very strange. I know how to pronounce the Florida Keys but would not say key for quay.

I know what a "cay" is; I was just answering the question as I think most Americans would, i.e. they pronounce it "say what?" Frankly , the only times I run into "cay" is in crossword puzzles.

And, speaking of "cay" and "key": The former name of Key West was the Spanish Cayo Hueso, or "Bone Cay" (or "Key").