Heard spelling

funikulus

Spelled funiculus. a hard c

Why c and not k?

The word is Latin, and Latin had almost no use for k. Funiculus is a diminutive of funis, rope.

A c before u is hard in Latin and in English alike, so there is no ambiguity in the sound and no reason for the ear to prefer one letter over the other. Funikulus is a reasonable guess that Latin simply never offers.

Say

fyoo-NIK-yuu-luss

Letters

F-U-N-I-C-U-L-U-S