Conversation:

I am from the states and therefore don't really know how to pronounce Celts. Is it a hard k sound or soft s sound? Please don't think I'm stupid for asking, but people are very vehement on both sides of this argument and I thought someone would know. Thanks!

Not a stupid question at all ... the accepted pronounciation today is with a hard c, as in the k-sound. (Notwithstanding the name of a soccer team). The actual word Celt is Latin in origin (would you believe), and Latin uses a hard c. In the modern Celtic languages, by happy coincidence, c is also hard. So ... it all fits in nicely.
Hope this all makes sense.
Cheers
Bran.

thank you grandly bran! Have a nice day!

In reply to your question on how Celts should be pronounced - its a hard 'k' sound. I believe that the reasoning behind this pronunciation is that the various Celtic languages of Europe favoured a hard 'k' when pronouncing C at the beginings of words - and most still do. I have a masters degree in Celtic History, so I hope i haven't got this wrong after five years of study!

Caroline, Edinburgh, Scotland

Thanks so much- and I will definitely say that since you got a degree in it, you are right. Thanks for the info!