Expert: Fabio Anderle - 3/6/2008

Question
Why do the Boston Celtics pronounce their name Sell-ticks and the composers of Irish music pronounce their Celtic music Kel-ticks?

Answer
Hi, Susan,

since I answered to this question before, you'll forgive me if I just copy and paste the previous one....

"well, I think we are... "out of bounds" with this one, since I usually answer only basketball related questions, but thanks to the fact my university years touched the semantic topic, I'll try to give you an answer....
The word "Celts" is derived from ancient Greek "Keltoi" which meant to define the barbarian tribes living between the Danube and the Rhone rivers. The Romans took the word as "Celtae" (pronounced Keltae) which later suffered a semantic phenomenon called "palatalization": the K became a C and in english was pronounced like an european S (confront with latin "kellarium" - german "keller" but english "cell"; or latin "Kaesar" - german "Kaiser" but english "Caesar"). So, to me, both "Keltic" and Celtic are ok. It is just a matter of what kind of.... word you decide to use: the arcaic form, or the "current" one. "Keltic" may be more historically accurate, but languages are never idle, they keep changing each and every day....."

I hope it helps


Fabio