We have now arrived at the English Consonant Q, shown in lower case as q.

This is a particularly critical sound. Imagine trying to speak the words "question" or "quiet" without this consonant. It has an inherent artistic quality which requires the whole mouth, air being channelled through it, to deliver the sound q.

This consonant is always followed by the vowel u and at least one other vowel. In addition to "question and "quiet" other examples are "quality", "quota", "squash", "racquet".

When together with q, the vowel u helps create the combined sound of kw.

Some words appear specifically designed to capitalise upon the characteristic and quality of q.
An example is the Scottish word for a shallow two-handled drinking cup or bowl - a "quaich". It derives from the Scottish Gaelic word "cauch". Quaich has further vowels of a and i. This word is a good example where pronouncing three vowels adjacent to each other requires a particularly flexible use of the mouth.

Try speaking this word. Phonetically it sounds like "qwaych". Experience: how the q drives the sounds that follow; how the sounds from "way" require the mouth to open wide and let the air exhale; how the "ch" sound is formed using the remaining air. The sound "ch" is the same as how ch in the word "loch" (a stretch of Scottish water) is pronounced. The h in the combined letters of ch has the sound of a soft, almost muted, k.  

Create a phrase or sentence that requires frequent use of words with qu in them. Here is my example:

Inadequate questions, queries, quibbles like these are quarrelsome and quadruple the quagmire and quandary I find myself in.

I have placed the words that contain qu in order of their presenting additional vowels from the least to the most opening of the lips - ah, eh, ee, oh, oo 

The high ratio of vowels to consonants in the words in this sentence containing qu, together with the these words being adjacent or close to each other, exercise flexibility, clarity and preciseness in forming sounds. Enjoy creating your own sentence or phrase.

In the attached recording I explore the sound of qu, speak the above sentence and experiment with its "tongue-twisting" nature.



Please share sentences you create and experiences from speaking them via  robinlivingspeech@gmail.com and Twitter robinblackmore2

Good luck.