Expert: Fabio Anderle - 1/10/2009

Question
Why is the Boston Celtics team name pronounced with a soft "c" instead of the correct hard "c" or "k" sound?

Answer
Hi, Patricia,

as I wrote before this one is... "out of bounds", 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 defined the barbarian tribes living between the Danube and the Rhone rivers. The Romans took the word as "Celtae" (pronounced Keltae) and later the term suffered a semantic phenomenon called "palatalization": the K became a C and in english was pronounced like an european S (see 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