Mignon FogartyMar 16

How do you pronounce "Celtic"?

If you're a basketball fan, you probably say "Seltic." If you study history or linguistics, you probably say "Keltic." So who's right?

Both pronunciations are in the dictionary, but they have different histories. The original Greek word used a hard K sound. But English got the word from French, where is starts with the S sound.

For centuries in English, the S pronunciation dominated — which is how Boston's basketball team got its name in 1946. 1/2

Show threadMignon Fogarty

The K pronunciation started gaining ground in the mid-1900s, though, as linguists and historians pushed to align with the original Greek. Today, most academics prefer "Keltic" for the culture and languages, while sports teams keep the S. Both are correct; the context is what matters.

And you can read more about how the French version comes into play in the full article. https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/articles/celtic-pronunciation-is-it-seltik-or-keltik/

‘Celtic’ Pronunciation: Is It ‘Seltik” or “Keltik’?

Sports fans say "Seltik." Historians say "Keltik." Grammar Girl discusses what's going on with the pronunciation of "Celtic".

Quick and Dirty Tips
Mar 16 at 4:23pmWeb