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Anonymous Posted 19 years ago
Linguistics Studies
Queue vs. Cue
On a message board I frequent, somebody made a post asking for help designing a new computer they wanted to build. One of the first replies was simply "queue Johnny" as Johnny is somebody who frequently answers these types of questions.
I am convinced that he should have said "cue Johnny" and I gave him definitions of both words to prove this, but he insists that he meant to use "queue" and that it is correct. I am hoping somebody here could shed more light on the matter.
I am convinced that he should have said "cue Johnny" and I gave him definitions of both words to prove this, but he insists that he meant to use "queue" and that it is correct. I am hoping somebody here could shed more light on the matter.
Top answer
Hi, A 'cue' in the theatre is a stage signal. Thus, 'to cue someone' means to give them a stage signal, eg to make an entrance. That's why we say 'Cue Johnny'.
- Hi, A 'cue' in the theatre is a stage signal.
- Thus, 'to cue someone' means to give them a stage signal, eg to make an entrance.
- That's why we say 'Cue Johnny'.
- In your context, it means 'it's time for Johnny to come and deal with these questions' .
- Best wishes, Clive
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9 Answers
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Hi,
A 'cue' in the theatre is a stage signal. Thus, 'to cue someone' means to give them a stage signal, eg to make an entrance.
That's why we say 'Cue Johnny'. In your context, it means 'it's time for Johnny to come and deal with these questions'.
Best wishes, Clive
A 'cue' in the theatre is a stage signal. Thus, 'to cue someone' means to give them a stage signal, eg to make an entrance.
That's why we say 'Cue Johnny'. In your context, it means 'it's time for Johnny to come and deal with these questions'.
Best wishes, Clive
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This is from dictionary.com:
queue
n.
A line of waiting people or vehicles.
Common usage has been known to take nouns and turn them into verbs.
When we need to look up information online, we now often say we'll "google it."
We also say "I'll phone you" when we tell someone we'll call them using a telephone or a cellphone.
Johnny is someone w
queue
n.
A line of waiting people or vehicles.
Common usage has been known to take nouns and turn them into verbs.
When we need to look up information online, we now often say we'll "google it."
We also say "I'll phone you" when we tell someone we'll call them using a telephone or a cellphone.
Johnny is someone w
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ArvsworldThe word "queue" in his case may have meant: If you want Johnny to answer your question, get in line. He is very busy and has a lot of messages to respond to.(Wouldn't that have been "queue for Johnny"? As it stands, if "queue" does mean "queue", it would seem to imply that Johnny himself should queue.)
MrP
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I suppose it would have been. As in "wait in line for Johnny?"
Queue Johnny = Repost your help request in Johnny's queue.
Queue Johnny = Repost your help request in Johnny's queue.
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I see – you mean as in "(The) Queue (named) Johnny"; or "The Johnny Queue".
MrP
MrP
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Hi.
Expressions in the form 'Cue Johnny', which I discussed earlier, are so common that my feeling is that you guys are overlooking the most likely explanation.
Expressions in the form 'Cue Johnny', which I discussed earlier, are so common that my feeling is that you guys are overlooking the most likely explanation.
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I fear you all may be missing the pun that is being communicated.
It may very well have been an indication to receive a response as in 'cue a response from Johnny', however, the OP did state that it was regarding a post on designing a new computer.
Queues are often used in computing and programming, so saying 'queue Johnny' instead is a bit of a play on words.
It may very well have been an indication to receive a response as in 'cue a response from Johnny', however, the OP did state that it was regarding a post on designing a new computer.
Queues are often used in computing and programming, so saying 'queue Johnny' instead is a bit of a play on words.
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It could also be a play on words. "Cue Johnny" would be logical statement here to suggest "Signal Johnny to get involved somehow and apply his expertise." However, at the same time you're talking about computers, and a queue is a very fundamental and extremely important concept in computing. Bits are strung into Bytes (a logical queue) and bytes into words (another layer of queues) which are fe
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