Getting confused by homophones: queue and cue

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Homophones are words that are pronounced the same but differ in meaning and also in spelling. The second meaning in the Merriam-Webster dictionary for queue (noun) is:

 

“A waiting line especially of persons or vehicles”

 

And the very different second meaning in the Merriam-Webster dictionary for cue (noun) is:

 

“A feature indicating the nature of something perceived.”

 

But an article by John Livingston in the Gem State Patriot News for November 19, 2021 titled Cue Mismatch confused them. The second sentence in his fourth paragraph says:

 

“Our balance is affected by both visual cues and auditory queues and when they misalign it causes us to be dizzy and sick.”

 

And the fourth sentence in that paragraph says:

 

“But the long and short of it is that when the queues don’t match up we get sick.”

 

By definition, a queue lines up. But then his sixth paragraph begins with:  

 

“I think people in our country are getting queues that don’t line up.”

 

Back on September 11, 2020 I blogged about Editing tips for speechwriters and other writers, and mentioned previous examples where Dr. Livingston had botched spelling.

 

The image of a relief waiting line came from here at the Library of Congress.