Why does barbecue have two spellings?

Origins of the word The word barbacòa was thought to be borrowed by Spanish explorers and eventually made it’s way to the modern English language. It is quite likely that it had some french influence before it made it into the English language which is how the two spellings barbecue and barbeque came about.

When did the spelling of barbeque change?

BBQ is there as early as 1889. Barbeque begins its rise in the 1960s; BBQ in the 1970s. Barbecue, however, remains far and away the most common spelling in printed books.

How many ways can you spell barbeque?

There are 8 different ways to spell BBQ: Barbeque, Barbicue, Barbique, Bar-B-Cue, Bar-B-Que, Bar-B-Q, BBQ, and Barbecue.

Why is it called barbeque?

The word barbecue comes from the language of a Caribbean Indian tribe called the Taino. Their word for grilling on a raised wooden grate is barbacoa. The word first appeared in print in a Spanish explorer’s account of the West Indies in 1526, according to Planet Barbecue.

Which spelling is correct barbecue or barbeque?

“Barbecue” is the traditional and correct spelling, whereas “barbeque” is just a confusion created by the “BBQ” abbreviation. So whenever you are in the situation to choose between these two forms again, just go for “barbecue”.

Which one is correct barbeque or barbecue?

“Barbecue” is the traditional and correct spelling, whereas “barbeque” is just a confusion created by the “BBQ” abbreviation.

Can you spell barbecue two ways?

Is BBQ always capitalized?

The most accepted spelling of the word is “barbecue” because it most closely resembles the word from which it’s derived–barbacòa. The shorter forms, such as bar-b-q, are just abbreviations that play on the sounds from the syllables be (B) and cue (Q).

Is barbeque a proper noun?

Other variations, like bar-b-cue and BBQ, are common to see in advertising or the names of restaurants, but they are comparatively rare in edited prose. As you can see in this New York Times example, BBQ is in the name of the restaurant. In this sense, it is acting as a proper noun.

Is BBQ grammatically correct?

Is it OK to abbreviate barbecue as BBQ, or is it silly and wrong? The most accepted spelling of the word is “barbecue” because it most closely resembles the word from which it’s derived–barbacòa. The shorter forms, such as bar-b-q, are just abbreviations that play on the sounds from the syllables be (B) and cue (Q).

Is it spelled ‘barbecue’ or ‘barbeque’?

While it may not be the most scientific method in the world, most of us turn to one source to figure out how to spell a word we are unsure of. No, it’s not a dictionary—it’s our computers. Interestingly, the abbreviated spelling, BBQ, is the most popular way to spell barbecue, while “barbecue” comes in second. “Barbeque” is a distant third.

What is the correct spelling for barbaque?

Barbecue is the standard spelling in English. Barbecue occurs at a rate many times that of its variants. Since it is closest to the spelling of the original Spanish, you should have little trouble remember that it is standard. If you have trouble choosing barbeque or barbecue, think of the ” C ” in barbecue as standing for correct.

Why is a barbeque called a barbeque?

While “barbecue” comes from Spanish and the original origin of the word, the “barbeque” spelling reportedly came to be thanks to the French phrase barbe à queue, which means “whiskers to tail” and describes the process of roasting an entire pig.

How do you really spell ‘barbecue’?

Interestingly, the abbreviated spelling, BBQ , is the most popular way to spell barbecue, while “barbecue” comes in second. “Barbeque” is a distant third.