derived from the Khitan (or Khitai), a Manchurian people who conquered S Manchuria and N China and founded the Liao dynasty
LOL I had to read that several times. I could have swore it said Mancunian
I was completely unaware until this thread that Cathay was set up by an American and an Australian!
http://www.cathaypacific.com/intl/ab...ry/0,,,00.html