"I'm a little embarrassed to ask this question of this group, but I do need the answer, so here goes. As I read and write on Highlanders in the nineteenth century I often encounter the terms "Gael" and "Celt", and I'm not sure of the proper use of them. Can "Gael" and "Celt" be used interchangeably? Or do they mean slightly different things? Is one a more "politically correct" term these days? I apologize for asking what may seem a ridiculously basic question, but this seemed the best place for an authoritative answer. Kathy Dear List, Two things: First of all, Kathy, put it this way, a Gael is a Celt but a Celt is not necessarily a Gael. This is a formula that pretty much equates to a Scot being British (from the British Isles) but not all Brits are Scottish. There are different measures of what or who a Gael is (a Highlander, a person of Gaelic speaking/Highland heritage, or purely a Gaelic speaker - this might extend, for some, to a non-Highlander who acquires the Gaelic language; no doubt there may be others who have different interpretations). Celts cover many different groups from the British Isles (including Ireland) and Europe. The most common expression of 'Celts' encompasses the Welsh, Scots, Irish, Manx, Cornish and Bretons. This is a fairly crude categorisation, as England was Celtic before it experienced the Angles. (And to confuse matters more, the Angles were in Scotland before 'Scotland', as we know it, really emerged.) Kathy, this is probably old news to most members but it is usually worth repeating. Anyway, back to the Celts/Gael issue. From Old Celtic emerged two language groups, p-Celtic (Breton, Cornish and Welsh, known as the Brythonic or British branch) and q-Celtic (Scottish Gaelic, Irish and Manx, known as Goidelic or Gaelic). So, as should be seen, the term Celt and Gael are related but not interchangeable; equally, the term British and Celt are also related but not interchangeable.. plus ca change!" James Celts are a race of people and Gaels are a subgroup who speak a different language? Is that what the good professor is saying here?