Printable Version of Topic
Click here to view this topic in its original format
Celtic Radio Community > General Discussion > Do You Say "keltic" Or "seltic"?


Posted by: southernterp 17-Aug-2005, 05:26 PM
I've always pronounced with the hard "k" sound. Occasionally, i hear people say it the other way. Is one more correct than the other?

Posted by: ArizonaAmy9 17-Aug-2005, 05:36 PM
My understanding is that it is correct with the hard 'k' sound but I have to admit my daughter plays in a HUGE soccer tournament every year in San Diego and it is named "Celtic Cup" but it is always said "Seltic Cup" and it is a very 'Irish-ish' based tourney. Last year, BTW my daughter's team won the Celtic Cup in her age bracket (U14) and my daughter was also voted game MVP for her hard work in the keeper box! SO, it is funny how it is pronounced differently....the pic of me on my profile is me holding the Cup trophy....

Posted by: southernterp 17-Aug-2005, 05:44 PM
Wow, nice. Hopefully she'll be able to get a college scholarship. thumbs_up.gif

Another example of the "s" pronunciation would be the Boston Celtics.

Posted by: ArizonaAmy9 17-Aug-2005, 05:59 PM
Oh...yep another good example...as for soccer...yeppers her dream is to play in college and go on to play in the World Cup someday...so...we shall see...for her I am hoping she'll earn a scholarship to play....that is our focus now...at least...

Posted by: Macfive 17-Aug-2005, 08:12 PM
I was brought to say "seltic" mainly because growing up in the late 70's and 80's we had the Boston Celtics (they pronounce as Seltic). I am not sure why a heavily Irish Boston would pronounce it that way? I am sure there is a story behind it, probably something to do with Red Auderbach (Famous and legendary Celtics General Manager).

I have sinced reformed myself and pronounce it with a K (Keltic) as it should be.

rolleyes.gif

Posted by: Celtic cat 17-Aug-2005, 10:23 PM
Definitely a (K) here in mho. But as a side note..... I have noticed that when speaking to someone with no general knowledge of culture in the least, one must say (s)eltic or the listener will not have one clue as to what Im talking about.

Posted by: MDF3530 18-Aug-2005, 12:15 AM
I have started an initiative to correct people when they say "Seltic". Please join me, my brothers and sisters in arms! wolfwood.gif

Posted by: oldraven 18-Aug-2005, 07:46 AM
Celt·ic ( P ) Pronunciation Key (kltk, sl-) also Kelt·ic (kl-)
n.

A subfamily of the Indo-European language family comprising the Insular and the Continental branches.


adj.

Of or relating to the Celtic people and languages.



Looks like a 'K' to me. smile.gif That's the way I've always said it. It's a Celidh, not a Saylee. wink.gif

Posted by: dundee 18-Aug-2005, 08:24 AM
websters new world dictionary say
both pronunciations are correct.

here is what www.dictionary.com has to say:

Celt ( P ) Pronunciation Key (klt, slt) also Kelt (klt)
n.
One of an Indo-European people originally of central Europe and spreading to western Europe, the British Isles, and southeast to Galatia during pre-Roman times, especially a Briton or Gaul.
A native speaker of a modern Celtic language or a descendant of such a speaker, especially a modern Gael, Welsh person, Cornish person, or Breton.

so beyond pronunciations how do you spell it because both celt and kelt
are proper....

i prefer the k sound and if the person is involved with re-enactment i may suggest they use the k sound .... but really who the hell cares?

do you say ta ma toe or too-mae toe...... skedule or shedule??? catsup or ketchup.....????
thumbdown.gif thumbs_up.gif

Posted by: ArizonaAmy9 18-Aug-2005, 09:18 AM
QUOTE (oldraven @ 18-Aug-2005, 05:46 AM)
Looks like a 'K' to me. smile.gif That's the way I've always said it. It's a Celidh, not a Saylee. wink.gif

It is funny that you wrote that - my oldest daughter's name is: Kaylee pronounced just as celidh. SO she thinks it quite funny that her name (pronounced wise) mean a party, great gathering, good times etc.... She wants me to find her a shirt that says something like: Celidh Girl and then she can tell everyone is sounds like: Kaylee....

Posted by: stoirmeil 18-Aug-2005, 09:28 AM
QUOTE (ArizonaAmy9 @ 18-Aug-2005, 10:18 AM)
She wants me to find her a shirt that says something like: Celidh Girl and then she can tell everyone is sounds like: Kaylee....

That's really cute. smile.gif You can get T-shirts made all over the place. It might start something! Or -- is she artistic at all? You could get her some good fabric paints or markers and she could do a whole thing, with celtic artwork and all.

Posted by: CelticCoalition 18-Aug-2005, 09:47 AM
I always have done it with a K, and laugh at those who say seltic.

Posted by: dundee 18-Aug-2005, 10:19 AM
QUOTE (CelticCoalition @ 18-Aug-2005, 10:47 AM)
I always have done it with a K, and laugh at those who say seltic.

no sense in being rude...... note.gif

Posted by: Eventide 18-Aug-2005, 11:50 AM
Pronounced with an "S" sounds strange to me...I've never even considered it.

Posted by: Siobhan Blues 18-Aug-2005, 12:39 PM
When I was in the UK, I asked. I was told that its the 'k' sound for Celtic, and the 's' sound when its the Boston basketball team.

Guess they oughter know.

SB

Posted by: sorbus 19-Aug-2005, 05:01 AM
If I remember rightly The Celt and or Kelt was the name given to a small stone
hammer used in metal beating and This Designation The Keltoi was Given as a Descriptive Term to Craftsmen using this Tool which thereafter became a portmanteau name which was later shortened as a race indicator Kelt or Celt
both pronounced with a K the only use of the soft S pronunciation I know of
occurs in Sports Organisations
Such as Oban Celtic Shinty Team Glasgow Celtic Football Team and Boston
Celtics interestingly the two Scottish Teams both find their Origins in Memberships
of The Roman Catholic Community
I do not know enough about The Boston Celtics to comment upon them
but I do find it interesting that Unlike Oban Celtic Glagow Celtic which appear as a singularity or Definite Article Boston Celtics go in for The Use of The Plurality
or Multiple cool.gif

Posted by: Cale the Celt 20-Aug-2005, 03:16 AM
Hey...my name wouldn't be "Sale the Selt" now would it?

I think not.

Use the hard 'k' sound, please. Besides, the basketball wreaks. yeck!

Oh and sorbus...

a) what planet are you from?
cool.gif are you trying to be impossibly intellectual?
c) do you steal all your lines from Old English parchments dated 6 A.D.?
d) all of the above?

sorry, but um...the whole Beowulf thing ended long ago.

Posted by: Keltic 21-Aug-2005, 09:06 AM
QUOTE (sorbus @ 19-Aug-2005, 07:01 AM)
If I remember rightly The Celt and or Kelt was the name given to a small stone
hammer used in metal beating and This Designation The Keltoi was Given as a Descriptive Term to Craftsmen using this Tool which thereafter became a portmanteau name which was later shortened as a race indicator Kelt or Celt
both pronounced with a K the only use of the soft S pronunciation I know of
occurs in Sports Organisations
Such as Oban Celtic Shinty Team Glasgow Celtic Football Team and Boston
Celtics interestingly the two Scottish Teams both find their Origins in Memberships
of The Roman Catholic Community
I do not know enough about The Boston Celtics to comment upon them
but I do find it interesting that Unlike Oban Celtic Glagow Celtic which appear as a singularity or Definite Article Boston Celtics go in for The Use of The Plurality
or Multiple cool.gif

The term "Celtic" or "Keltic" actually came from the Greek word, 'keltoi' which translates to which translates as The Hidden People, The Secret People, or alternatively, The Unseen Ones. I have also seen this word reported to mean 'barbarian' but I can't remember where I had found this meaning. The Greeks lumped a number of tribes that they felt held similar customs and shared features but spoke different languages, as the Celts. There are numerous inclusions of these people in classical Greek writings which show a fascination of these people, whereas, the Romans actually demonized the Celtic people.

As for the pronunciation, hard 'C' (k) gets my vote. We even named our business using the 'k' in the spelling so nobody would mispronounce the name. Numerous times, people have looked at our 8' X 4' banner at our booth and still read 'seltic'...you know, the soft 'k' sound!! Now we have to explain why we spell the name with the 'k' and we even hear snickers from time to time, followed by "They spelled it wrong".

Posted by: MDF3530 21-Aug-2005, 12:12 PM
QUOTE
Such as Oban Celtic Shinty Team Glasgow Celtic Football Team and Boston
Celtics interestingly the two Scottish Teams both find their Origins in Memberships
of The Roman Catholic Community


So does Hibernian, the football team in Edinburgh.

They all were founded by Irish settlers.

I think I read somewhere that Liverpool of the EPL was too.

Posted by: gaberlunzie 21-Aug-2005, 01:54 PM
QUOTE (Siobhan Blues @ 18-Aug-2005, 01:39 PM)
When I was in the UK, I asked. I was told that its the 'k' sound for Celtic, and the 's' sound when its the Boston basketball team.

Guess they oughter know.

SB

This is exactly what I have been told also, I agree.

Posted by: Ceciliastar1 21-Aug-2005, 08:08 PM
celtic with a k sound just sound sooooo much better anyway. I like it that way...seltic sound dumb.haha!

Posted by: southernterp 22-Aug-2005, 10:39 PM
QUOTE
he only use of the soft S pronunciation I know of
occurs in Sports Organisations Such as Oban Celtic Shinty Team Glasgow Celtic Football


Wow, Celtic FC is pronounced with a "s"? That really surprises and somewhat saddens me (i prefer the hard "k" sound as well). I'm trying to get more into international football and am looking to select a club to root for. I guess Rangers will be my new team.

Posted by: oldraven 23-Aug-2005, 09:11 AM
QUOTE (southernterp @ 22-Aug-2005, 09:39 PM)
QUOTE
he only use of the soft S pronunciation I know of
occurs in Sports Organisations Such as Oban Celtic Shinty Team Glasgow Celtic Football


Wow, Celtic FC is pronounced with a "s"? That really surprises and somewhat saddens me (i prefer the hard "k" sound as well). I'm trying to get more into international football and am looking to select a club to root for. I guess Rangers will be my new team.

Shouldn't you base that on players and team play rather than wether the name is pronounced with an 's' or 'k'. unsure.gif

Posted by: Nancy-Raven 23-Aug-2005, 12:27 PM
In french celtic is pronounce with the S but when we say it in english it's with the K.I think it mostly depend of the language but both of them are correct , for some people the S or K will sound weird.For me , I rarely heard celtic with the K but it is find too.

Posted by: southernterp 23-Aug-2005, 02:24 PM
QUOTE
Shouldn't you base that on players and team play rather than wether the name is pronounced with an 's' or 'k'.


Probably, and i was being a bit facetious, but when you've never had much of any exposure to any of the teams or players before, you've got to start somewhere.

Posted by: talleyrand 26-Aug-2005, 09:15 AM
I'm a keltic pronunciation but the difference has always confused me as well since I have a few songs sung by natives that use a seltic pronunciation, mostly though in relation to the Glasgow Celtics FC (love Hampden in the Sun).

Posted by: gwenlee 27-Aug-2005, 07:26 PM
I always pronounced Celtic with a k sound. A friend of mine from the Middle East informed me that was the wrong and that I should say it the way the basketball team in Boston says it. I told her I had never said Celtic with an s sound. She told me the k sound was a southern pronunciation. So the Southern Girl in me won and I didn't change from a k to an s.

Posted by: Eiric 01-Sep-2005, 08:05 AM
Definately Keltic! Although both are correct - Seltic being influenced by French "Celtique" pronounced Seltik, and Keltic being the old English way!

Posted by: Eiric 01-Sep-2005, 08:08 AM
Oh, stupid me Nancy-Raven had already said what I just said! Anyway since Celtic in Swedish is Keltisk I always pronounce it Ketic, and more importantly - There is no C pronounced S in ANY Celtic language. C is always ALWAYS K

Posted by: Siobhan Blues 01-Sep-2005, 08:48 AM
Hey, I just looked at your blog - you are quite the linguist! That is quite a talent, one I wish I possessed.

Posted by: Eiric 02-Sep-2005, 12:27 AM
Thank you!

(BTW, Did you know that JRR Tolkien died today 1973! He's my sisters favourite author so she said it this morning...)

Posted by: Siobhan Blues 16-Sep-2005, 01:31 PM
sad.gif
No, I didn't know that was the date... but dang it, he passed away about 2 years before I found out how great his books were. Just like Alexander Calder, the French sculptor who died just a couple of years before I saw his stunning exhibit of mobiles & stabile sculptures at the High Museum in Atlanta. Both of those fellows I wish I could have met.

Posted by: WizardofOwls 18-Sep-2005, 08:19 AM
I always pronounce it with a k sound too. I'll even say Boston Keltics just to stir things up a bit sometimes! wink.gif

Posted by: mingkee 25-Sep-2005, 10:03 PM
I sound "k-", even from the very first time I knew the word
when I hear somebody sounds "s-", I am not that comfortable

perhaps my destiny is bound with Celtic, even I don't carry any western blood

Posted by: wicwisworhun 29-Oct-2005, 09:38 AM
well it it k but its some times sounds like s and c but its upto u how u would like to say it

keltic
celtic
selitic


to all keep it tribal



Posted by: Rindy 30-Oct-2005, 09:19 PM
Thanks wicwisworhun! I always wondered that also..what how do they say it in Glasgow?


Slainte smile.gif

Posted by: celticfire 04-Nov-2005, 08:55 PM
Keltic, unless you're referring to the current Boston team, which is obviously very Irish-influenced, where people say "Seltic".

Posted by: Rapunzel5150 22-Nov-2005, 06:36 PM
Haha, this is probably one of the most ridiculous conversations, but I still couldn't resist replying. One of the other people mentioned C always being a k sound in gaelic. Which I say is true in Scots gaelic as well as Irish. I am learning Scots Gaelic, my sister the Irish form. Anyway, in Scottish gaelic, C is ALWAYS pronounced as K at the beginning of the word (since they don't have a K letter), example being cup in english. If C is found in any other part of the word (excluding CH, because that's a whole different sound altogether) it is pronounced as chk if it their are broad vowels around it or ch if they are slender vowels. (This gets confusing for me sometimes, having to break the way I THINK it should be said). The only other time the K sound comes up is when g is in the middle of the word and only if it is a broad consonant. S though if it is broad is an S sound in english or an SH sound if it is slender. I am unsure how Irish is, but I think it is similar. I always want to laugh when people say Seltics, I mean I'm from Texas and no one says Fajita or Tortilla wrong unless they are from up north or just trying to be funny. Neither of those words should be pronounced how they are spelled. But anyway, enough of this silly conversation. I have NO idea how the Boston Celtics became seltics, my guess is that someone didn't know how it was pronounced and it just took off from there, since many others apparently didn't either. Although the Websters' Dictionary is probably right, but they only add things into it if it takes hold in language even if it's wrong, just like slang being added in there.

Amy

Posted by: Keltic 22-Nov-2005, 10:46 PM
QUOTE (Rapunzel5150 @ 22-Nov-2005, 08:36 PM)
Haha, this is probably one of the most ridiculous conversations,

As ridiculous as it may be or people may think that it is, this has been a bone of contention for many for years and will be for may more years to come. I've been in business for over 10 years now. My wife and I named our company 'Keltic Nations' and spelled it that way so that noone would pronounce it 'Seltic'. We didn't count on having to explain the spelling to half of the population, or didn't foresee the snickers coming from the young Irish dancers, after looking at our 8'X4' banner which my wife and I hand painted, and saying, "They misspelled it!!!". We also have never been able to figure out how countless numbers of customers have found their way to our booth at festivals, looked at our sign with the 'Keltic Nations' in a very clear font and about 10 to 12" high, and saying, "Oh!! It's Seltic Nations".

Posted by: Aaediwen 23-Nov-2005, 05:32 PM
Can't win for losing. It is just unreal how stupid people can be. I've heard some of the bottom of the barrel, believe me.

Posted by: Kiltedbiker 23-Nov-2005, 11:40 PM
While desiring to get to the point, yet not wishing to offend, the question is how do you pronounce "Celtic." I choose to pronounce it correctly and yet no one seems to be able to offer a definitive answer.

I pronounce it with a hard 'K' sound and have wondered why the Boston basketball team doesn't. I don't care why they do that actually, because I don't care about professional athletics.

I don't like this being left up to a majority vote for popular pronunciation, but time may have lost the answer for those purist seeking a definitive answer.

Posted by: Keltic 24-Nov-2005, 09:30 AM
QUOTE (Kiltedbiker @ 24-Nov-2005, 01:40 AM)
While desiring to get to the point, yet not wishing to offend, the question is how do you pronounce "Celtic." I choose to pronounce it correctly and yet no one seems to be able to offer a definitive answer.

I pronounce it with a hard 'K' sound and have wondered why the Boston basketball team doesn't. I don't care why they do that actually, because I don't care about professional athletics.

I don't like this being left up to a majority vote for popular pronunciation, but time may have lost the answer for those purist seeking a definitive answer.

No offense taken and as for how to pronounce it correctly... either way is actually correct. It ultimately boils down to preference. Dictionaries have both pronunciation where preference is generally given to 'k' over 's', but 's' is still listed as a pronunciation.

Using word origin as a guideline for pronunciation, the origins being from the Greek, 'keltoi' would sway the individual to use the 'k' sound. However, english more than likely didn't take the word from the greek but more than likely from latin, "celticus" or the french "celtique". In latin, 'C' is pronounced as 'k', whereas, in french, we have the 's' sound. Using pronunciation found in gaelic doesn't really figure into the origin of the english word. Although, there are many words that have worked there way into the english language from the gaelic languages, this isn't one of them. To continue with word origins, if we use other words as guidelines, in the english langage, words derived from french or latin starting with 'ce' usually are pronounced with the 's' sound. I'm actually at a loss to think of any that don't but if any of you are inclined to open the dictionary and read, you really have too much time on your hands.

Next, apparently the move to the 'k' sound gained popularity for whatever reason, in the latter half of the 20th century. At this time, dictionaries gave preference to 'kelt' as the pronunciation key (listed first) but before hand, the 's' sound was predominant. This would explain why the football (the real football where the foot is actually used against the ball) club, the Glasgow Celtics pronounce the name with the 's' sound. The Glasgow Celtics were founded in 1888.

Ultimately, nobody is wrong, just some are more irritating about their correctness than others!! Most importantly, whether it is pronounced with a 'k' or an 's' (please, only when it isn't spelled with a K), the Ottawa Senators (pronounced with an 'S' sound), will win the Stanley Cup!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: Keltic 04-Dec-2005, 12:17 AM
Do you see what happens when you try to give a semi-scholarly answer? The thread dies!!! Back to you say tomato, I say tomato (doesn't translate well into print, does it?)!

Posted by: ceiligirl 07-Dec-2005, 12:41 PM
As I understand there is no soft c in the gaelic lang, only hard c's when not by a consanant, ch are like s sometimes a shh sound.

But I might be wrong, any gaelic tongues out there to clarify??

Posted by: Keltic 07-Dec-2005, 10:49 PM
QUOTE (ceiligirl @ 07-Dec-2005, 02:41 PM)
As I understand there is no soft c in the gaelic lang, only hard c's when not by a consanant, ch are like s sometimes a shh sound.

But I might be wrong, any gaelic tongues out there to clarify??

This really shouldn't weigh into it since we are speaking english and not gaelic. In addition, the word did not originate from the gaelic.

Posted by: Cù Dubh 08-Dec-2005, 05:24 AM
In Scotland it's mostly pronounced Keltic if refering to things like the 'Celtic language', 'Celtic nations' etc.
Seltic is used for the football (soccer) team 'Glasgow Celtic'. Who just happen to be at the top of the SPL this week. biggrin.gif

Powered by Invision Power Board (https://www.invisionboard.com)
© Invision Power Services (https://www.invisionpower.com)