I didn't really know where to put this at..so can anyone tell me what this is and a bit of history on it please? Thanks..

Sam - the Celtic (pronounced Kel-tic) Cross will mean different things to different people. There is much background on it and many versions of the history of it. Typically it is representative of the Scottish, Welsh, and Irish faith. Some believe it represents eternity and the endlessness of God's love.

This site will tell you much more about the history of it:

http://www.celticisland.com/history%20crosses.htm

Thank you very much georgia!

Georgia, I had no idea that it was pronounced that way. Where have I been all my life?

Honilov: The word celtic has always been pronounced keltic, except in the context Boston------s, where it refers to a certain basketball team which is nowadays no more celtic than you or I are, even if it does come from a place where there used to be a lot of Irish. Or perhaps where there still are.

The "hard" consonant sound in this word is the same one Julius Cæsar had in his version of the word (though "voiced"), and which we get in the derivatives Gaul, Gallic, and so on. The apostle Paul's letter to the Galatians was addressed to a group of people started, at least, by these same Gauls, ones who had settled in Asia Minor.

Maiku, I've seen the word written down a lot of times, but I guess I never actually heard it pronounced. I just took for granted it was pronounced the way it looked.

I wonder how many more words that I'm mis-pronouncing. or is it mispronouncing.

You're absolutely right, Honilov. It looks, by the sometimes very twisted rules of contemporary English spelling, that celtic ought to be pronounced seltic. And so it is, by almost everyone. My only worry was that Americans say it that way only because the Boston Celtics are more important to them than any other part of the Celtic heritage. You would never be corrected for having said it that way. I'd bet even Teddy Kennedy pronounces it that way.

You may not be aware of Glasgow Celtic ( pronounced 'sel-tic' ).Renowned all over the soccer- playing world it is the Catholic soccer team of Glasgow; Glasgow Rangers is the Protestant one;historically they are the two top sides in Scotland.

Both pronunciations, with a 'K' sound and 'S' are given in the Oxford English Dictionary. The word came to us via French, where only the 'S' form is used. It seems that the academics, accustomed to Latin, opted for the K but the sports fans stuck with the 'S', which is how it sounded on crossing the English Channel/ La Manche after the English lost a home game to the visiting Norman side 1-0 after injury time.

[This message was edited by FredPuli on 09-11-03 at 08:04 PM.]

Don't worry about it Honi. We all learn things every day and today was your day to learn something new!

Just can't believe that for once Maiku agreed with me! I can rest peacefully now!

Well, honi I learned alot on this today too. Thanks guys!