For years, Final Fantasy VII fans have debated how to properly pronounce "Cait Sith," the name of the fat moogle-riding talking cat from the game. While many just pronounce it phonetically, more than few use the original Scottish Gaelic pronunciation.
Now, Square Enix's official Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth account on X — the site formerly known as Twitter — clarified that the character's name should be pronounced phonetically as "Kate Sihth." However, far from ending the debate, the official designation of a proper way to pronounce "Cait Sith" in English — more on that below — has seemingly reignited the debate around it.
The mixed response over the confirmation of a proper pronunciation of the character's name is immediately evident in the replies to the official post. Many are happy that the post affirms the way they've pronounced Cait Sith's name for over two decades. Others, however, argue that the move erases the actual terms history, which is embedded in an entirely different culture and folklore. (Read: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth comes in two discs)
Specifically, the name "Cait Sith" (pronounced "Ket Shee") is Scottish Gaelic in origin where it means something akin to "fairy cat." Indeed, other official works, such as the movie spin-off Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, allude to this with voice actor Greg Ellis giving the character a Scottish accent.
Adding to the confusion is the fact that Square Enix has consistently used the original Scottish Gaelic pronunciation when referring to the character in Japanese.
While the debate around how to pronounce "Cait Sith" has simmered on for years, Square Enix's post seemingly fanned the flames and reignited it. Even commentary on the subject can lead to angry replies and even implied threats as YouTuber Maximillian Christiansen found out.
The person behind the post has since clarified that it wasn't a threat but a joke — admittedly a tasteless one — alluding to the car bombs used by the Irish Republican Army during the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
Pronunciation debates in Final Fantasy aren't new, what with the series pushing unique character names long before it added voice acting to the games in the 2000s. With Square Enix going back to one of its most beloved entries from before that time, perhaps it was inevitable that these debates would rage again.
Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth arrives on PlayStation 5 on February 29, 2024.
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