# C, K, G, J, Q, X: which would you call the most pointless letter? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 23, 2018, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/c-k-g-j-q-x-which-would-you-call-the-most-pointless-letter/820092 "2018-08-23T03:28:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Jagraze1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jagraze1/32/14870_2.png) [@Jagraze1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jagraze1)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2024, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/c-k-g-j-q-x-which-would-you-call-the-most-pointless-letter/820092/41 "2024-01-04T17:45:11Z")
Rice, Lace ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2024, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/c-k-g-j-q-x-which-would-you-call-the-most-pointless-letter/820092/42 "2024-01-04T19:34:37Z")
_Elemeno_ is the most pointless letter. Aside from being used in one word of a song lyric and can be replaced there with a sequence of other individual letters it is not used in any other words. ---
**Author:** ![veryfrank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/87869e/32.png) [@veryfrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/veryfrank)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2024, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/c-k-g-j-q-x-which-would-you-call-the-most-pointless-letter/820092/43 "2024-01-04T19:46:36Z")
Once again chiming in with my basic Welsh…the _Cymraeg_ alphabet has more letters than the English one, but only because of the digraphs, so not all of the English alphabet carries over. There’s no “k” because a “c” is always a hard one. (“ch” is one of those digraphs and is its own letter, pronounced like in “loch”) There’s no “x” as you can just put a “c” and “s” together. (The Welsh for “taxi” is “tacsi”) There’s no “v” because the Welsh “f” is pronounced like the English “v.” To get the English “f” sound the digraph “ff” is used. There’s no “j” for reasons. Not sure, I think it really only appears in loanwords and in proper names. “Jones” and “Evans” are likely the most common surnames in Wales, because of course they are. Anyway, based on all that, I lean towards K or X to be dropped, as they’re easily replaced. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2024, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/c-k-g-j-q-x-which-would-you-call-the-most-pointless-letter/820092/44 "2024-01-04T19:53:47Z")
I wish to make that case that the most pointless letter is King Charles. He is (a) pointless and (b) inherited a vast amount of land that he leases out for his private benefit. > **[What do King Charles III, the Pope, and Canadian Inuit have in common?](https://bigthink.com/strange-maps/worlds-largest-landowners/)** > > The sun still doesn't set on the British empire, with King Charles III the world's largest landowner. The Pope comes in second place. ---
**Author:** ![Jagraze1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jagraze1/32/14870_2.png) [@Jagraze1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jagraze1)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2024, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/c-k-g-j-q-x-which-would-you-call-the-most-pointless-letter/820092/45 "2024-01-04T23:01:18Z")
Q and Z aren’t there either. Qu is written Cw and Z is written S so maybe Q could join the removed letter group with K and X. I lean towards K, Q and X getting dropped. ---
**Author:** ![veryfrank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/87869e/32.png) [@veryfrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/veryfrank)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2024, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/c-k-g-j-q-x-which-would-you-call-the-most-pointless-letter/820092/46 "2024-01-04T23:29:55Z")
lol…I figured I’d droned on long enough about Welsh (and not for the first time on this forum) so I wasn’t comprehensive in picking apart the alphabet. I agree though, mi all Q fynd am dro hefyd. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2024, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/c-k-g-j-q-x-which-would-you-call-the-most-pointless-letter/820092/47 "2024-01-06T19:03:11Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > _Elemeno_ is the most pointless letter Thank you, thank you , thank you…for reviving 4 year old me! I didn’t know I had memories from that young an age.But in 1961, I must have spent a huge part of my little brain’s resources wondering about that weirdly-named letter. Because as I read your comment, I got a flash of recognition from deep down in the recesses of my mind. ## – And a zombie thread opens another question…whatever happened to Skald the Rhymer?.( Was he the guy who taught his toddler kid to sing Tom Lerer’s song about the chemical elements?) ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2024, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/c-k-g-j-q-x-which-would-you-call-the-most-pointless-letter/820092/48 "2024-01-06T19:09:16Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > Isn’t “C” necessary to complete the “ch” sound in words? In that instance it couldn’t be replaced with “K” or “S”, right? Why not? It is a digraph used to make a phoneme. We could decide tomorrow to make kh to make the “ch” sound. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2024, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/c-k-g-j-q-x-which-would-you-call-the-most-pointless-letter/820092/49 "2024-01-07T21:45:47Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > And a zombie thread opens another question…whatever happened to Skald the Rhymer? He lost his eyesight, and he had problems with text-to-voice software that made it difficult for him to read the message board. He also got bitter and cranky, and got into fights with other board members. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2024, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/c-k-g-j-q-x-which-would-you-call-the-most-pointless-letter/820092/50 "2024-01-08T00:46:52Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > I wish to make that case that the most pointless letter is King Charles. He is (a) pointless and (b) inherited a vast amount of land that he leases out for his private benefit. We’ve discussed that article (or predecessors) before. It’s simply wrong when it attributes Crown land in Canada to « King Charles and the British Royal Family ». Crown land is the legal term in Canada for publicly owned land. It’s registered in the name of the Crown « in right of Canada » or « in right of Ontario », and so on. Charles and the Royal Family get no revenue from it, can’t sell it, can’t decide how it will be used. It’s the relevant government that decides that. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2024, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/c-k-g-j-q-x-which-would-you-call-the-most-pointless-letter/820092/51 "2024-01-08T00:50:24Z")
Should there be a poll? ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2024, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/c-k-g-j-q-x-which-would-you-call-the-most-pointless-letter/820092/52 "2024-01-08T01:12:40Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > It’s simply wrong when it attributes Crown land in Canada to « King Charles and the British Royal Family ». Yes, I should have found a better article, I confess to googling for a reference and then not looking at it closely. The part where it talks about land that used to be the British Empire or Commonwealth is silly, but it does goes on to describe the vast amount of land that Charles _does_ personally own - that’s what I was referring to. [https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/06/world/as-king-charles-inherits-untold-riches-and-passes-control-of-his-own-vast-holdings-to-william.html](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/06/world/as-king-charles-inherits-untold-riches-and-passes-control-of-his-own-vast-holdings-to-william.html) ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2024, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/c-k-g-j-q-x-which-would-you-call-the-most-pointless-letter/820092/53 "2024-01-08T03:40:13Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > He also got bitter and cranky, and got into fights with other board members. People tend to do that when they go blind and then get called a rapist. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2024, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/c-k-g-j-q-x-which-would-you-call-the-most-pointless-letter/820092/54 "2024-01-08T23:26:36Z")
Getting back to the OP, there was a wonderful Sci-Fi story [ ### Meihem In Ce Klasrum, by Dolton Edwards ]([Meihem In Ce Klasrum, by Dolton Edwards](https://www.angelfire.com/va3/timshenk/codes/meihem.html)) Since C is totally unnecessary (can–and should–always be replaced by K or S–and rise should be spelled rize) he used it for the th sound. Although I would have used it for ch. You could use X and Q for voiced and unvoiced th. Anyway, it will never happen. ---
**Author:** ![ColdBrew50](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9a140/32.png) [@ColdBrew50](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ColdBrew50)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2024, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/c-k-g-j-q-x-which-would-you-call-the-most-pointless-letter/820092/55 "2024-01-10T09:33:18Z")
“J,” since it’s on the list. Didn’t need it then, don’t need it now. But “V” as well, same reason. iuris iudicare iuuentum &c. Didn’t like it then, and don’t like it now. Bunch of excess, immodest frippery. ---
**Author:** ![Jagraze1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jagraze1/32/14870_2.png) [@Jagraze1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jagraze1)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2024, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/c-k-g-j-q-x-which-would-you-call-the-most-pointless-letter/820092/56 "2024-01-11T14:53:15Z")
I don’t mind V because, it’s useful for representing [v]. J is useful for distinguishing between [j] and [i]. ---
**Author:** ![Jagraze1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jagraze1/32/14870_2.png) [@Jagraze1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jagraze1)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2024, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/c-k-g-j-q-x-which-would-you-call-the-most-pointless-letter/820092/57 "2024-01-12T04:58:23Z")
In Spanish, W isn’t very common [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/c-k-g-j-q-x-which-would-you-call-the-most-pointless-letter/820092.md?page=2)