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The word Celtic can refer to:
The celt is also a type of stone tool.
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Pronounciation of 'Celtic'
The pronounciation of the word 'celtic' has been surrounded by constant confusion. The origins of the word are from Irish Gaelic, where there is no letter 'k' due to the lack of need for it. The hard 'c' sound is represented by the letter 'c' with no soft alternate. The soft 'c' is a Latin conceit, later adopted by the newer English language. This has led to the situation where both 'keltic' and 'seltik' are used.
The Guardian contends that the original English pronounciation of 'Celtic' was with the pronounciation as 'Seltic'. [1]. It theorises that academics, especially with German academic interest, eventually changed the English pronounciation to the hard 'c' version: 'keltic'. The soft 'c' pronounciation is still used in the celtic areas where French, Breton and Galician are spoken. Another view also suggests that the use of 'seltic' is due to its association with sports teams whose supporters would not know the academic pronounciation of the word when the team was founded; however a counterpoint argues that in English, the spelling favours the pronounciation 'seltik' and that the 'keltik' pronounciation is an academic 'challenge' as previously mentioned.
There have also been arguments that the 'keltic' pronounciation is of Irish lineage, whereas that of 'seltik' is of Norse lineage. However there has been no evidence to support this distinction, and this argument has been largely disregarded.
The Boston Celtics basketball team is actually pronounced 'seltik' as it has been mispronounced into a trademark. The Celtic Football Club, of Glasgow, which is traditionally supported by Irish Scots is also pronounced this way.
There have been attempts to change pronounciation to the 'keltic' version. However it has been accepted that both versions can be used interchangeably.
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