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#1 2010-08-18 20:45:36

klakritz
Eggcornista
From: Winchester Massachusetts
Registered: 2005-10-25
Posts: 674

'cue' and 'clue'

These two words are very loosely similar in meaning- both denote a piece of information that can trigger an action or a chain of reasoning. And we already have a few examples of their interchangeability: Kem reported on ‘cueless’ in place of ‘clueless.’ Jorkel noticed ‘cue me in’ for ‘clue me in.’ My guess is that whenever a context accommodates one word, it will also get used with the other.

Here, for example, are 2 cases where only one word really fits, but the other slides into place:— ‘haven’t got a clue’ – 2.7m ghits / ‘haven’t got a cue’ – 3,000 ghits…... ‘cue sheet’ – 250k ghits/ ‘clue sheet’ – 22k ghits

Last edited by klakritz (2010-08-18 20:50:02)

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#2 2010-08-18 23:32:21

kem
Eggcornista
From: Victoria, BC
Registered: 2007-08-28
Posts: 2872

Re: 'cue' and 'clue'

In short, a flounder. Yes, I agree, there are few contexts in which “cue” (meaning hint) and “clue” do not interchange.


Hatching new language, one eggcorn at a time.

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#3 2010-08-19 14:02:06

David Bird
Eggcornista
From: The Hammer, Ontario
Registered: 2009-07-28
Posts: 1702

Re: 'cue' and 'clue'

Queue can be queued up for cue as well, as booboo pointed out.

Queue the orchestra, grab your tassel and your mortar board

Queue the orchestra. The stage is set

Queue the orchestra and put on your party shoes

Queue the orchestra, let the pigeons loose – ladies and gentlemen, here we go.

You are in trouble if they cancel it cause they felt like it. Then you get cued around if you are behind those that were
already at the airport counter since you were stuck in arriving plane.

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