K (letter): Difference between revisions
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'''K''' is the eleventh letter of the [[English alphabet]]. | '''K, k''' is a letter of the [[Latin alphabet]]. It is the eleventh letter of most variants, being placed after [[J (letter)|J]] and before [[L (letter)|L]], as is the case for instance in the [[English alphabet]]. Its English name is pronounced [ˈkeɪ], like the girl's name ''Kay''. It is derived from the [[Greek alphabet|Greek]] letter [[kappa]] (Κ, κ). | ||
==Use in English== | ==Use in English== | ||
'''k''' has the sound of '''c''' in '''cát''' or '''q''' in '''quîte''' | {{:English_spellings/Catalogs/Masterlist}} | ||
'''k''' has the sound of '''c''' in '''cát''' or '''q''' in '''quîte''': '''Ként, kéttle, kítsch, loòk, tâke, toòk, lâke, báck, dóck, bríck, åwkward''' (*åwquərd), '''hácker'''. | |||
{{:English_spellings/Accents}} | |||
'''c''' is more common for this sound at the beginning of a word, but only before back vowels '''a, o''' and '''u''': '''cátch, cóld, cúp''', as its sound turns into an '''s''' before front vowels: '''cíty''', '''cêreal''' ''food'' = '''sêrial''' ''series''. The '''k''' sound can also be written '''ch''' as in '''chŏrd''' ''music'' (= '''cŏrd''' ''rope''), '''álchemy''', '''schoôner'''. | |||
At the end of a word, '''k''' is usual after a double or long vowel, and after '''l''', '''n''' and '''r''': '''pêak, mâke, sínk, boòk, tánk, thánk, àrk, bàrk, sínk, mínk, mílk, tålk, jërk, quïrk, wörk, përk, lürk, Türk, besërk, fôlk''' (silent '''l'''). | |||
Final -'''ke''' appears in '''pôke | Final -'''ke''' appears in '''pôke, tâke, bâke, sâke, lâke, câke, lîke, blôke, pôke, wâke, râke''', '''brâke''' ''car'' = '''breâk''' ''broken'', and forms many abbreviations: '''nûke''' (abbreviation of '''nûclear'''), '''bîke''' (of '''bîcycle'''), '''Jâke''' (of '''Jâcob'''). | ||
After '''c''', '''k''' merely reinforces the hard '''c''' sound and the preceding short vowel: '''clóck''' (*clók, *clóc), '''lúck, súck, néck, báck, thíck, blóck''' ''wood'' (= '''blóc''' ''nations''), '''tíck''' ''clock'' (= '''tíc''' ''spasm'', which has no '''k''' because it is, like '''blóc''', from French), '''tíckle, crícket, wícket, tícket, níckel, ríckety, búcket'''. And so '''k''' is added to the ending -'''ic''' before suffixes -'''ing''' and -'''ed''': '''politícking, tráfficking, frólicked, pánicked''' (*frólict, *pánict). | |||
Thus the '''ck''' combination does not usually occur after long vowels: one does not see -êeck, -oôck, -orck, -àrck etc., though '''Åuckland''' is an exception. | |||
'''ck''' is silent in '''blá'''ck'''g'''ua'''rd''' (rhymes with '''lággard''') and '''Cô'''ck'''bürn''' (= '''Côburn'''). | |||
Final '''k''' on its own is rare after a single vowel: '''trék, flák, wók'''. | |||
'''c''' or '''ck''' are generally used instead of '''k''' when forming clusters, with the exception of '''wóks''' etc. and of '''kl''' as in '''boòklet''', especially in '''nkl''' ('''nk''' is pronounced | '''c''' or '''ck''' are generally used instead of '''k''' when forming clusters, with the exception of '''wóks''' etc. and of '''kl''' as in '''boòklet''', especially in '''nkl''' ('''nk''' is pronounced -ngk-): '''sínk, thínk, tánk''', '''ánkle''' (cf. '''úncle'''), '''wínkle, héckle, fréckle, ínkling, tínkle, tínkling, chúckle'''. | ||
Silent '''k''' occurs initially before n: knôw acquaint, understand (= nô negative), kneŵ acquainted (= neŵ fresh), knôwn (cf. nòne), knîght ''Sir'' (= nîght ''dark''), knít, knáck, knóck, knéll, knóll, knâve ''cad'' (= nâve ''church''). | Silent '''k''' occurs initially before '''n''': '''knôw''' ''acquaint, understand'' (= '''nô''' ''negative''), '''kneŵ''' ''acquainted'' (= '''neŵ''' ''fresh''), '''knôwn''' (cf. '''nòne'''), '''knîght''' ''Sir'' (= '''nîght''' ''dark''), '''knít, knáck, knóck, knéll, knóll, knâve''' ''cad'' (= '''nâve''' ''church''). | ||
'''kh''' has the sound of '''ch''' in Scottish '''lóch''' in words from Arabic, Urdu &c. - although many people merely pronounce it '''k''': '''Khàn''' (*Kàn). | '''kh''' has the sound of '''ch''' in Scottish '''lóch''' in words from Arabic, Urdu &c. - although many people merely pronounce it '''k''': '''Khàn''' (*Kàn). | ||
'''kk''' is very rare. It occurs in '''púkka''' and '''Dékker''' (= '''Décker''' | '''kk''' is very rare. It occurs in '''púkka''' and '''Dékker''' (= '''Décker''') and accidentally, with an extended '''k''' sound, in '''boòkkeeper'''. | ||
==Scientific uses== | |||
*k prefix: kilo, 1000 in normal usage, 1024 in computing | |||
*K: kelvin, scientific unit of temperature | |||
*K: kaon, a family of mesons | |||
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Latest revision as of 11:34, 15 May 2013
K, k is a letter of the Latin alphabet. It is the eleventh letter of most variants, being placed after J and before L, as is the case for instance in the English alphabet. Its English name is pronounced [ˈkeɪ], like the girl's name Kay. It is derived from the Greek letter kappa (Κ, κ).
Use in English
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Use in English | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alphabetical word list | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Retroalphabetical list | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Common misspellings |
k has the sound of c in cát or q in quîte: Ként, kéttle, kítsch, loòk, tâke, toòk, lâke, báck, dóck, bríck, åwkward (*åwquərd), hácker.
- The accents show stress and pronunciation (see English spellings): A: sát, mâde, pàrk, cāst (cást/càst), åll, ãir; E: ére, êar, vèin, fërn; I: sít, mîne, skì, bïrd; O: sóng, môde, lòve, wörd, ŏr; OO: moôn, foòt; U: sún, mûse, fùll, pürr; W: neŵ, ẁant; Y: gým, mŷ, keỳ, mÿrrh.
c is more common for this sound at the beginning of a word, but only before back vowels a, o and u: cátch, cóld, cúp, as its sound turns into an s before front vowels: cíty, cêreal food = sêrial series. The k sound can also be written ch as in chŏrd music (= cŏrd rope), álchemy, schoôner.
At the end of a word, k is usual after a double or long vowel, and after l, n and r: pêak, mâke, sínk, boòk, tánk, thánk, àrk, bàrk, sínk, mínk, mílk, tålk, jërk, quïrk, wörk, përk, lürk, Türk, besërk, fôlk (silent l).
Final -ke appears in pôke, tâke, bâke, sâke, lâke, câke, lîke, blôke, pôke, wâke, râke, brâke car = breâk broken, and forms many abbreviations: nûke (abbreviation of nûclear), bîke (of bîcycle), Jâke (of Jâcob).
After c, k merely reinforces the hard c sound and the preceding short vowel: clóck (*clók, *clóc), lúck, súck, néck, báck, thíck, blóck wood (= blóc nations), tíck clock (= tíc spasm, which has no k because it is, like blóc, from French), tíckle, crícket, wícket, tícket, níckel, ríckety, búcket. And so k is added to the ending -ic before suffixes -ing and -ed: politícking, tráfficking, frólicked, pánicked (*frólict, *pánict).
Thus the ck combination does not usually occur after long vowels: one does not see -êeck, -oôck, -orck, -àrck etc., though Åuckland is an exception.
ck is silent in bláckguard (rhymes with lággard) and Côckbürn (= Côburn).
Final k on its own is rare after a single vowel: trék, flák, wók.
c or ck are generally used instead of k when forming clusters, with the exception of wóks etc. and of kl as in boòklet, especially in nkl (nk is pronounced -ngk-): sínk, thínk, tánk, ánkle (cf. úncle), wínkle, héckle, fréckle, ínkling, tínkle, tínkling, chúckle.
Silent k occurs initially before n: knôw acquaint, understand (= nô negative), kneŵ acquainted (= neŵ fresh), knôwn (cf. nòne), knîght Sir (= nîght dark), knít, knáck, knóck, knéll, knóll, knâve cad (= nâve church).
kh has the sound of ch in Scottish lóch in words from Arabic, Urdu &c. - although many people merely pronounce it k: Khàn (*Kàn).
kk is very rare. It occurs in púkka and Dékker (= Décker) and accidentally, with an extended k sound, in boòkkeeper.
Scientific uses
- k prefix: kilo, 1000 in normal usage, 1024 in computing
- K: kelvin, scientific unit of temperature
- K: kaon, a family of mesons