Q-Celtic: A designation sometimes applied to the Goidelic branch of the Celtic group of languages.
Qabardi: A language spoken in the Caucasus; a member of the Adyghe group of the Western Caucasian branch of the North Caucasian family of languages.
Qaputsi: A language spoken in the Caucasus; a member of the Eastern Caucasian branch of the North Caucasian family of languages.
quadrisyllabic: Consisting of four syllables.
quadrisyllable: A word consisting of four syllables.
quadruplets: Four words of the same language, any of which represents a doublet (q.v.) with any of the other three.
qualifier: A word which qualifies, limits or modifies the meaning of another word.
qualitative accent: Stress and pitch (qq.v.).
qualitative gradation: Vowel gradation (q.v.).
quantifier: A term occasionally applied to a numeral or another word denoting quantity when used as a modifier of another word.
quantitative gradation: The lengthening or shortening or suppression of a vowel.
quantitative accent: Duration (q.v.).
quantity: In phonetics, a term synonymous with duration—the relative length of time during which the vocal organs remain in the position required for the articulation of a given sound.
quantity mark: A mark placed over a vowel or diphthong to indicate that it is to be pronounced long or short. The macron [¯] indicates a long sound, the breve [ˇ] indicates a short sound.
Quara: A Kushitic vernacular.
Quechua: A family of South American Indian languages, also called Kechua or Kichua. Its principal dialects are: Ayacucho, Bolivian, Chinchaya (or Chinchasuyu), Tucumano or Argentine, Cuzque ñ o, Huancaya, Lama ñ o (or Lamista), and Quite ñ o, spoken by an estimated total of 4,000,000 Indians in central South America. Quechua was the language of the ancient Inca civilization.
Queen’s English: The same as King’s English (q.v.).
question mark: The punctuation mark [?] used in most Indo-European, and many other languages, at the end of a direct question.
questione della lingua: The discussion originated by Dante as to the true nature of the literary Italian language; whether it is based on Florentine Tuscan pure and simple, or represents a compromise or merger of the various dialectal forms of northern, southern and central Italy.
quinquesyllabic: Consisting of five syllables.
quinquesyllable: A word consisting of five syllables.
quotation marks: The punctuation marks used to inclose direct quotations. (The quotation marks commonly used in English are [“. . .”], whereas in the other European languages the marks [„. . .”] and [«. . .»] are customary.)