Comments

ceoltas

ceoltas

Anyone know where this word came from? What is it supposed to mean? I can't find it in any dictionary, but it seems to pop up all over the place. Is it a confusion of 'comhaltas' with 'ceol'?

# Posted on July 1st 2011 by E

Re: ceoltas

The word is Comhaltas, not "Ceoltas".

# Posted on July 1st 2011 by timmy!

Re: ceoltas

I know the word 'comhaltas'. What I am asking about is the word 'ceoltas', which appears repeatedly on this site.

# Posted on July 1st 2011 by E

Re: ceoltas

http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/23398

# Posted on July 1st 2011 by Dragut Reis

Re: ceoltas

And not just on this site, by the way, but in pub websites, session websites, newsletters etc., mostly in the US.

# Posted on July 1st 2011 by E

Re: ceoltas

Thanks for that link, 'smash the windows'. That's it then.

# Posted on July 1st 2011 by E

Re: ceoltas

E - I did a google search out of curiosity and the only hit I get is for an Irish pub in Pennsylvania USA that uses this moniker. My guess is you're correct. It's an intentional or unintentional misspelling of comhaltas. Most Yanks who frequent Irish pubs have at least seen the word "Ceol" before - but not many can wrap their tongues around an Irish word like Comhaltas without saying "Come Halt us." Maybe the owner decided to combine the two words for marketing purposes?

# Posted on July 1st 2011 by Jusa Nutter Eejit

Re: ceoltas

Are you sure the confusion isn't with
http://www.ceolas.org/ceolas.html
instead of Comhaltus

# Posted on July 1st 2011 by fiddlentina

Re: ceoltas

Wow... holy 1994, Batman! I don't think that page has been updated in the last fifteen years!

# Posted on July 1st 2011 by Jon Kiparsky

Re: ceoltas

To give it it's full title 'Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann' literally translated is 'Membership Musicians Ireland'
Quite a mouthful, so over the years the first word Comhaltas only was usually used to describe the whole organisation.
In other words they talked about the membership
As Comhaltas is pronounced 'Col tas' which over the years has been corrupted to and spelled Ceoltas (Keol tas)
As far back as I remember the society has been known as Coltas or Ceoltas. Col tas being the correct pronunciation.
As the old song goes.........Some say tomaytos and some say tomatoes, some say potateoes and some say potatoes, That's what it's all about.......

# Posted on July 1st 2011 by Free Reed

Re: ceoltas

It's even become 'colitis' when spoken of by more recent expats who, for some reason, desperately wanted to put a few thousand miles between themselves and dear old Ireland.

# Posted on July 2nd 2011 by Atahualpa Quigley

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