![\"Gold](\"http:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/images\/blog\/goldfinch.gif\")
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Lasair choille<\/strong> or ‘flame of the woods’ is the Irish name for the goldfinch (carduelis carduelis<\/em>), two of which I saw on my apple tree this morning. I like to know the names of birds and other creatures in the my languages, and particularly liked the Irish version when I discovered it.<\/p>\n The Irish word lasair<\/em> means flame or blame comes from las<\/em> (to light, inflame, ignite, blush). It probably shares the same root as the English word lamp, which comes from the French word lampe<\/em>, from the Latin lampas<\/em>, from the Greek \u03bb\u03b1\u03bc\u03c0\u03ac\u03c2<\/em> (to shine).<\/p>\n In Welsh the goldfinch is known as nico<\/em>, but has many other names, including jac nico<\/em>, teiliwr llundain<\/em> (London tailor), peneuryn<\/em> (head gold jewel?), eurbinc<\/em> (gold pink), pobliw<\/em> (every colour), soldiwr bach y werddon<\/em> (little soldier of the green place\/oasis), cnot<\/em>, ysnoden felen<\/em> (yellow band) and asgell aur<\/em> (gold wing).<\/p>\n The English word finch comes from the Old English finc<\/em>, possibly from the Old Germanic *finki-z<\/em> or finkjon<\/em>, which is thought to be of echoic origin.<\/p>\n