Celtic......"Seltic" or "Keltic"?

[ShaneJ]

I know that technically both pronunciations are supposed to be "correct", but I've yet to meet anyone that believes that. Everyone thinks that one or the other is right. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Me? I think that "Seltic" is correct. In English and in Gaelic (I've read), a "C" before an "E" is pronounced "S". Besides, it's the Boston "Seltics", not the "Keltics". http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

What say you? (Or what kay you?)

[grandmainger]

In the UK, we say Keltic http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[neal]

In Boston, it's Seltic. Why, I don't know http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif .But it should be Keltic.

[grandmainger]

Having said that, I remember some Dubliners say Seltic... No hard rule there it seems http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[Martin Jonas]

As Grandmainger said: at least here in the UK, it's always Keltic except when referring to the Glasgow football team or the Boston basketball team of that name. However, when you're talking about music to traditional musicians on this side of the Atlantic, you'd be well-advised to avoid the C-word altogether and to refer to Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Shetland, Manx... music as appropriate. Very few active musicians here like to be thrown into the great "Celtic" melting pot, nor do they appreciate the tunes from the separate and distinct traditions being elided into a single shamrocky entity. It's a particular point of irritation when English musicians, such as Dave Swarbrick, Eliza Carthy, Steeleye Span, Fairport Convention or the Oysterband, are being referred to as "Celtic". England is not one of the Celtic nations.

Martin

[Strange1]

I thought it was spelled Celtic and pronounced as if it was spelled Keltic. Pronouncing it Seltic is just a Bean Town way isn't ?

Jack

[bolannta]

My Scots Gaelic dictionary, by Malcolm Maclennan, says that in Gaelic c followed by e is pronounced like k in the word king.
But the name isn't Gaelic, it's Greek and was spelled Keltoi.

[Jack Roberts]

I agree...Hard K unless your talking about Larry Bird. I lived in Massachusetts for years but I never got used to the way they speak.

[yann-ber]

i'm a french Britton guy. meaning that i'm Celt too but from the brittonic branch (as welsh and cornick) but not from the gaelic (or goidelic) one.

our languages are of the very same linguistical family but not that close nowaday. and yes, we also blow in bagpipes!

in britton we pronounce and spell the word "Kelt". the celt nations put together are called : Keltia.


kenavo 'benn ur wech all (bye, see ya)

[JEStanek]

I help a Scottsman sell Irish and Scottish wares at Ren faires/ Irish/Scottish festivals in the summer for fun (and mad mando money). His shop is the Celtic (keltic) Glen. Maybe after too many Jamesons in Boston their K's got slurred into s sounds? I'm from the hard K sound camp...

Jamie

[mando bandage]

I'd always heard that the Scots went with "Keltic" and the Irish "Seltic". Kind of like "Gahlic" vs. "Gaylic" where the gaelic language is concerned. Can't say that's a scholarly opinion though.

R

[Richard Singleton]

...even more confusing, in Boston MK owners refer to their MK mandos as Michael Selly's!

[DryBones]

...even more confusing, in Boston MK owners refer to their MK mandos as Michael Selly's!
that's "wicked" funny...how about we go get some "pizzer" later?

yeah, I lived in Worcester (pronounced Woosta) for years. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

[danb]

it's pronounced

"THplekkktchhh"

[jim_n_virginia]

round this way in ole Virginia I have always heard Keltic and the one time I ever heard Seltic was when someone was refering to the Boston Seltics. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[jmcgann]

The Irish say "Keltic". It is a Gaelic word. What little I know about Irish Gaelic is that the C is always prounced as a hard K.

Boston is a town fulla hahff wits. Even though it is clever to call a submarine sandwich a "spuckie". :cool:

Tawmy, stawp hittin' ya sistah n' geddinda cah!*



* Translated from Traditional Bawstonian: "Tommy, stop hitting your sister and get in the car!"

[ShaneJ]

I agree that our friends from Bwah-ston can't be relied upon for accurate pronunciations of just about anything. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pronunciation_of_Celtic) is one of many things I've read and come across on the issue that causes me confusion. In spite of what seems to be historic pronunciation, I am going to have to break down and join the "Keltic" crowd. Seems to be the prevailing modern pronunciation. Besides, since when has anyone from West Texas been an authority on proper pronunciation of anything either?! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[danb]

The Irish say "Keltic". It is a Gaelic word. What little I know about Irish Gaelic is that the C is always prounced as a hard K.
Hah, actually in my experience they say "Irish". If anyone says "celtic" people roll their eyes and start imitating new age music.

Strong words from the guy who registered "celticmusic.com" eh?

[mad dawg]

I thought it was spelled Celtic and pronounced as if it was spelled Keltic. #Pronouncing it Seltic is just a Bean Town way isn't ?

Jack
Any etymologists out there have any idea how the "S" pronounciation became prevalent in Boston, a town with historically a large Irish-American population? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

[John Ritchhart]

Seltic for sports teams...Boston and Glasgow. Keltic for people, culture and tribe. but is it teely or Theely? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[steve V. johnson]

K.

stv

[elenbrandt-redux]

It is Thile, rhyming with "Wheelie"

As for the "C" word -- it is sometimes like running into someone you know but can't remember their name....fake it until they say it first....let someone else make the mistake... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/coffee.gif

[jim simpson]

A couple of years back on April Fool's Day, NPR did a story on how the Boston "Seltics" were changing their name to the more correct sounding "Keltics". It was hilarious and they stayed with the serious tone throughout the feature. I was sitting in rush hour traffic laughing out loud.

[Jim Broyles]

elenbrandt-redux said "It is Thile, rhyming with "Wheelie"

That don't help. The question was whether it's a 't' sound or soft 'th' sound!

[jasona]

its the "th" sound. "Thee-lee".

[withak]

Everything I've heard suggests that the convention is to say "keltic" when referring to the various cultures or music, but "seltic" when referring to any kind of sports team. I've also heard more than once that whoever first wrote the word down in english would have saved everyone a lot of headache if he had spelled it with a "k" instead of a "c". http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[cbarry]

My old bagpipe teacher, Jack Cunningham, gave me a really dirty look when I pronounced it Keltic. It's Seltic! he said. And that was the end of that!
Jack is a native Scot, who used to play the pipes at The Edinburgh Castle, a San Francisco pub.
He also appeared as the piper in the Mike Meyers movie "So I Married an Axe Murderer." If you ever saw him, you'd remember.
Chuck

[Jack Roberts]

My name is Jack Roberts, but it's pronounced Strebor Kcaj.

[Mandolin-AL]

Im a Scotsman it's Celtic (k) not Celtic with an (S) thats the football team

[stevem]

Here's how the Germans say it. They sometimes know what's up.

keltisch