why is castaway cay not spelled castaway key

[minnieluvzmickey]

And why is key west not cay west?

things that make you go hmmmmmmmmm

 

[Favorite Auntie]

Parrot Cay (key) is the same way....

 

[Lloyd Dobler]

Webster's says that Cay comes from the Spanish cayo....

 

[KathyTX]

From www.takeourword.com:


<I>
<b>I was wondering how the spelling quay was generated. I've found some etymological information on this but none points to any reason for this spelling. </b>

Before we begin, allow us to tell those who may not know that quay is pronounced "kee". This word, which means "shoreline artificially built up with stone (or later, cement) to facilitate loading and unloading of cargo from ships", was originally spelled more like it is pronounced. Its earliest form (14th-15th centuries) was keye. It derives from Old French kay, kai, cay, and a cognate is Spanish cayo "reef, shoal". In the 18th century the keye spelling was altered to quay after the French form quai, but the pronunciation remained the same. The modern words quay, cay (usually pronounced as it looks), and key (as in the Florida Keys) all derive ultimately from the same source: the root kagh- "to catch, to seize" with the further meaning of "barrier", referring to the same "reef, shoal" notion as the Spanish cayo. </I>

It appears that "key" is purely American. In the Bahamas, and the rest of the world, "cay" seems to rule!

 

[jgalecpa]

In Ireland, they still use the quay spelling, and the "key" pronunciation.

 

[rundogrun]

ahh...one of those things that makes me crazy. Cay can be pronounced as "cay" or "key"...either is correct.

Thanks for the reference KathyTX...hadn't seen that before.

 

[CVW]

Why can't way discuss something more mayningful? This is rayly one of the waykest threads I've ever sayn.

Playse spare may.

(By the wee, I'm just taysing.)