Rare Roz Posted June 27, 2004 #1 Share Posted June 27, 2004 "You say tomato, I say tomoto, let's call the whole thing off...." Is "Cay", as in HMC, pronounced "key" or "kay"? Is a cay the same thing as a quay? Aren't these thought provoking questions for a Sunday afternoon? Roz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptData Posted June 27, 2004 #2 Share Posted June 27, 2004 It is pronounced key as in house key. :p :p[/color] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rubysky Posted June 27, 2004 #3 Share Posted June 27, 2004 Cay (ke {long e}) it is a low island made mostly of coral or sand. a quay, same pronounciation, is a wharf or a paved embankment for loading/unloading ships the second acceptable pronounciation of both is ka (long a) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Roz Posted June 27, 2004 Author #4 Share Posted June 27, 2004 Thanks to both of you. So Ruby, you're saying there are 2 possible pronunciations? Now I'm totally confused! But I'll never make the mistake of saying boat instead of ship. Roz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Druke I Posted June 27, 2004 #5 Share Posted June 27, 2004 I pronounce it "key", as in door key. I pronounce gaol "jail" as in slammer. I pronounce the first r in library, but most say liberry. I also use the first r in February. Otherwise, I speak with a fairly normal Western US accent. Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krazy Kruizers Posted June 27, 2004 #6 Share Posted June 27, 2004 :) Years and years ago when we visited our first private island, everyone used to say "cay" - long "a". But over the years the pronounciation has changed to "key". Have no idea when or who started the change. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gliles Posted June 27, 2004 #7 Share Posted June 27, 2004 I'm hooked on phonics so I say Cay just as it's spelled :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sail7seas Posted June 27, 2004 #8 Share Posted June 27, 2004 Pronounced "KEY"..... I made the improper pronounciation once and was promptly corrected. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruisinMatt Posted June 27, 2004 #9 Share Posted June 27, 2004 It does add an exotic twist on a somewhat typical island..... how fun! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helenp2 Posted June 27, 2004 #10 Share Posted June 27, 2004 I have lived in the BVI and traveled from one end of the caribbean (Tobago) to the other. ALL islanders pronounce it key. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gliles Posted June 27, 2004 #11 Share Posted June 27, 2004 Okey, I'll pronounce it correctly :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sail7seas Posted June 27, 2004 #12 Share Posted June 27, 2004 ;) 'Atta Girl, Gretchen. :) Key, Cay.....we'll know what you mean with either pronounciation (should we ever hear you speak it). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dexter Posted June 28, 2004 #13 Share Posted June 28, 2004 30 years ago I visited Great Harbor Cay in the Bahamas and Cay was pronounced with a long A...I still say it with the long A although I have heard Key. Another pronounciation issue...Antiga or Antigua. On the island and on Jimmy Buffet songs it is Anteega. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhannah Posted June 28, 2004 #14 Share Posted June 28, 2004 Didn't the Florida Keys start out as Cays, but they just gave up and spelled it like it sounds? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KSCnCA Posted June 28, 2004 #15 Share Posted June 28, 2004 After reading about Half Moon Cay for several months I found that it is supposed to be pronounced Key! Well, I am a slow learner so I now call it Half Moon Cay-Key. Maybe by December I will get it right! And I pronounce both R's in February and library and nuclear not nucular and realtor not realitor. But once I get something wrong it's difficult to un-learn it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeaPeaInn Posted June 28, 2004 #16 Share Posted June 28, 2004 I have been told that CAY is a spanish word that is pronounced key. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruisinMatt Posted June 28, 2004 #17 Share Posted June 28, 2004 Actually in Spanish it's pronouned like k plus "eye" or like the first part of "KInd" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwynclaire Posted June 28, 2004 #18 Share Posted June 28, 2004 We pronounce it "key" in Belize. Just to add another twist, we also spell it "caye"! This language of ours is a wonderful thing!! Joy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougnewmanatsea Posted June 28, 2004 #19 Share Posted June 28, 2004 Apparently both are technically acceptable but on lovely Half Moon Cay it is most definitely pronounced "key". I also pronounce "quay" as "key" though there are myriad different ways to pronounce that. The correct alternate pronounciation is, yes, "cay", like the way you would expect the island to be pronounced Lots of Americans say "kway" but that is not correct. I stick with the most common British version, "key" (how often do you have Americans using the word quay anyway?). In French it is spelled quai and pronounced roughly as "keh", like the first part of "KEttle". As for whether "cay" and "quay" are the same, no, they're totally different. A cay is a small, low island. A quay is a place where one ties up a ship - it is a synonym for wharf; that is a dock which is parallel to the shoreline (whereas a pier is perpendicular to, or at least protrudes from the shore). Confusingly I have read that "quay" can also be spelled "key", just to muddy things further. At least there can't be any controversy over pronounciation when it's spelled that way :) . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orcrone Posted June 28, 2004 #20 Share Posted June 28, 2004 You can pronounce it Half Moon Key or Half Moon Kay. I don't care as long as I'm able to lay out and enjoy the island you can call it whatever you want.:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glrounds Posted June 28, 2004 #21 Share Posted June 28, 2004 After reading about Half Moon Cay for several months I found that it is supposed to be pronounced Key! Well, I am a slow learner so I now call it Half Moon Cay-Key. Maybe by December I will get it right! And I pronounce both R's in February and library and nuclear not nucular and realtor not realitor. But once I get something wrong it's difficult to un-learn it! KSCnCa, My favorite mispronounced word PREROGATIVE. Everyone seems to pronounce it PURROGATIVE. But, I guess that is their prerogative !:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bitburgk9handler Posted June 28, 2004 #22 Share Posted June 28, 2004 Properly pronounced KEY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevesan Posted June 28, 2004 #23 Share Posted June 28, 2004 cay (kay) n. a small low island or reef of sand, rocks, etc. However, local customs rule - some say key, some say kay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KSCnCA Posted June 29, 2004 #24 Share Posted June 29, 2004 KSCnCa, My favorite mispronounced word PREROGATIVE. Everyone seems to pronounce it PURROGATIVE. But, I guess that is their prerogative !:D Very good! I must admit I am guilty of that mistake! Never again. Thanks for the lesson of the day! And I thought I was done! I told my boss to stick a fork in me tonight as I left! (Another favorite of mine that I abuse often - people are not done, unless you're talking Silence of the Lambs!) :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GAndie Posted July 2, 2004 #25 Share Posted July 2, 2004 Cay can be pronounced either like KEY or KAY..either way is correct. It's from the spanish word "cayo" Main Entry: cay Pronunciation: 'kE, 'kA Function: noun Etymology: Spanish cayo —more at KEY Date: 1707 : a low island or reef of sand or coral Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.