If Celtic is pronounced (Keltic) why do we say Boston Celtics (Seltics)?
by 
Kravenhead
ANSWERS: 3
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Cuz we’re stupid Americans. ;-)
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The pronunciation of the ancient Greek word does not determine how the modern English word is pronounced. The word was copied in English from either the Latin "celticus" or the French "celtique" which in its turn came from the Latin. The Latin word is believed to have been copied from the Greek. Both the Greek and the Latin words were pronounced with the "k" sound, the French with the "s" sound. The regular English pronunciation of "ce-" words derived from French or Latin is with the "s" sound. This word, at least outside Scotland, was predominantly pronounced with the "s" sound as recently as the 1960s but there has been a movement towards the "k" sound except for the Scottish soccer team which is always pronounced with the "s". The Concise Oxford Dictionary has changed its first preference from the "s" sound to the "k" sound in recent editions.
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http://mentalfloss.com/article/77222/why-there-are-two-ways-pronounce-celtic
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