Words for hawk / falcon in Celtic languages.
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | sebac [ˈsʲevak] = hawk |
|---|---|
| Irish (Gaeilge) | seabhac [ʃəuk] = hawk; warrior seabhac gorm/seilge = peregrine falcon seabhac buí/gaoithe = kestrel, windhover seabhac mara = sea-hawk, skua |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | seabhag [ʃo.ag] = falcon, especially peregrine falcon seabhag na seilge / seabhag-ghorm / seabhag-shealgair = peregrine falcon (falco peregrinus) seabhag-ghorm an fhraoich / seabhag-bheag ghlas = merlin (falco columbarius) seabhac mara = sea-hawk, skua seabhag nan uiseag = hobby (falco subbuteo) |
| Manx (Gaelg) | shawk = hawk, falcon shawk eeastee = osprey shawk ny sperriu = goshawk shawk sperriu = sparrow hawk shirragh = buzzard, falcon, seeker, bird of prey, kite shirragh ny bogleeyn = marsh harrier shirragh ny giark = hen harrier shirragh ny ree = peregrine falcon |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | hebog = hawk, lanner falcon; noble chieftian, brave fighter, hero hebog chwyldro = gerfalcon hebog yr ehedydd = hobby hebog (g)las = hen harrier hebog y weru = marsh harrier hebog tramor = peregrine falcon gwlach = hawk, falcon; fine soldier, brave fighter, nobleman, hero; wily knave, rascal, rogue, wag gwalch bach = merlin gwalch banred = sparrow-hawk gwalch glas = peregrine falcon gwalch gweilgi = osprey |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | hok = hawk |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | gwalc’h = falcon, hawk, sea bream |
Etymology: from the Old English heafoc/hafoc (hawk), from Proto-Germanic *habukaz (hawk). The English word hawk comes from the same root [source].
The Welsh gwalch and the Breton gwalc’h come from the Old English wealh-hafoc / *wealc-hafoc (foreign hawk) [source]
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | faucon = falcon |
|---|---|
| Irish (Gaeilge) | fabhcún = falcon |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | faolchon = falcon |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | ffaw(l)cwn = falcon |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | falghun = falcon |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | falc’hun = falcon, hawk |
Etymology: from the Old French faucon (falcon), from Latin Latin falcō (falcon). The English word falcon comes from the same root [source].
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
Notes
A falcon is a bird of prey of the genus falco. Kestrels, hobbys, merlins and peregrine falcons are all in this genus.
A hawk is a bird of prey of the genus accipitridae. These include buzzards, kites, harriers, eagles, goshawks and sparrowhawks.
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