| How do you enunciate the word Celtic? Is it | | | | they were spoken in another time period by |
| pronounced "keltic" or "seltic?" If you and your | | | | another group of people. Since the term "Celt" |
| friends have been in an argument over how the | | | | came from a French word pronounced with the |
| word is pronounced you can stop. You are both | | | | "c" sounding like an "s", and nearly all English "ce" |
| correct. But is one more correct than the other? | | | | words enunciate like an "s" (cement, cereal, cent), |
| The controversy arises because of the several | | | | it would have been correct at the time that the |
| things. The origin and manipulation of the word | | | | word "Celt" was pronounced like "selt." |
| "Celtic" is not very clear, and depending on what | | | | Celt pronounced as "selt" actually remained popular |
| language it derived from and time period, or even | | | | until the mid 20th century. Because of this, old |
| where you live, the pronunciation could be | | | | sports teams adopting "Celtic" as part of their |
| different. | | | | name pronounced it as "seltic." That is why the |
| The most popular theory is that it derived from | | | | Boston Celtics and the Glasgow Celtic football club |
| the Greek word Keltoi, which means "people who | | | | pronounce it "seltic." |
| hide." From this Greek term it is believed that the | | | | In the 20th century the Germans of academia |
| classical Latin term Celtus (keltus) was derived. | | | | got into Celtic studies more and they pronounced |
| These terms referred to particular tribes of | | | | the "c" as a "k", because that is how it is |
| people speaking unique languages such as Cambric, | | | | enunciated in their language. It spread around the |
| Cornish, Manx, and more, who lived throughout | | | | academic world that scholars were now |
| Europe at the time. | | | | pronouncing "Celt" like "kelt." How this trend really |
| The English words "Celt" and "Celtic" didn't come | | | | got started is unknown. It may have been |
| into use until the early 1700's, when scholars were | | | | because of the old Greek word "Keltoi" or not. It |
| describing early inhabitants of Great Britain. It was | | | | is interesting to note that the Welsh and Gaelic |
| an academic term used by scholars studying | | | | pronunciation is "kelt", and always has been. |
| these early settlers. As used then, "Celtic" | | | | Perhaps that also played a part in the change. |
| appears to have come from the French word | | | | Whatever the reasons, scholarly circles now |
| celtique (selltique). That French word is thought to | | | | consider "kelt" to be the correct pronunciation |
| have come from the Latin word celticus. Modern | | | | among the educated. Of course this does run |
| British Latin pronunciations were different than | | | | counter to English grammar rules for words |
| classical Latin so the "ce" in "celticus" would have | | | | starting in "ce." |
| been said like an "s" in the 1700's. In classical Latin | | | | The argument still goes back and forth as to the |
| it would have been a "k" sound. The "ce" in French | | | | completely correct pronunciation of "Celtic", but |
| words is also pronounced like "s." If all of this is | | | | you can be sure that there is a valid argument on |
| true than the 18th century enunciation of the | | | | both sides and neither may be more correct than |
| words "Celt" and "Celtic" would have been "selt" | | | | the other, in case you are ever again in a |
| and "seltic." | | | | disagreement with friends or family on the |
| It is usually proper to speak words the way your | | | | subject. |
| particular language enunciates them and not how | | | | |