Birds and Larks

Words for bird and (sky)lark in Celtic languages.

Proto-Celtic *ɸetnos = bird
Gaulish Etnosus = bird(?)
Old Irish (Goídelc) én [eːn] = bird
Irish (Gaeilge) éan [eːnˠ] = bird, young bird, chick
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) eun [ian] = bird, fowl, chicken
Manx (Gaelg) eean [jiːən] = chick, fowl, young (of birds); juvenile, cheeky child, brat
Proto-Brythonic edn = bird
Old Welsh atar = birds
Middle Welsh (Kymraec) edn [ˈɛdn] = bird
Welsh (Cymraeg) edn [ˈɛdn] = bird, fowl, fly, bee
adar [ˈadar] = birds
aderyn [aˈdɛrɨ̞n / aˈdeːrɪn] = bird
Old Cornish hethen = bird
Cornish (Kernewek) edhen = bird
Middle Breton ezn = bird
Breton (Brezhoneg) evn = bird

Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *péth₂r̥ (wind, feather), which is also the root of the English word feather [source].

Breton (Brezhoneg) labous = bird

Etymology: unknown

Old Irish (Goídelc) uiseóc = lark
Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) (f)uiseóg = lark, skylark
Irish (Gaeilge) fuiseog = lark, skylark
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) uiseag [ɯʃag] = lark, skylark
Manx (Gaelg) ushag [ˈoʒaɡ] = bird, shuttlecock

Etymology: unknown

Proto-Celtic *alaudā = bird
Gaulish *alauda [ˈa.lau.daː] = skylark

Etymology: unknown. Also the root of the Latin alauda (lark, skylark), and words for (sky)lark in Romance languages, such as the French alouette, the Spanish alondra and the Italian allodola [source].

Welsh (Cymraeg) ehedydd [ɛˈhɛdɨ̞ð / ɛˈheːdɪð] = lark, skylark; flier, one that flies, bird or fowl
Old Cornish evidit = lark, skylark
Middle Breton ehuedez = lark, skylark

Etymology (Welsh): from ehedeg (to fly) and -ydd (-er) [source].

Cornish (Kernewek) ahwesydh = lark, skylark
Breton (Brezhoneg) alc’hweder = lark, skylark

Etymology: unknown

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, MacBain’s Dictionary, In Dúil Bélrai English – Old-Irish Glossary, teanglann.ie, On-Line Manx Dictionary, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionnaire Favereau

Skylark

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