Words for blackbirds, thrushes, ouzels and starlings in Celtic languages.
| Proto-Celtic | *mesal-(s)kā / *meisalko = blackbird |
|---|---|
| Irish (Gaeilge) | smólach = thrush smólach ceoil = song thursh (Turdus philomelos) smólach mór = mistle thrush (Turdus viscivorus) |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | smèarach [smɛːrəx] / smaolach [smɯːl̪ˠəx] / smeòrach [smjɔːrəx] = thrush, mavis smeòrach-choitcheann = song thrush smólach mór = mistle thrush |
| Proto-Brythonic | *miyalx- = blackbird |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | mwyalchen [muɨ̯ˈalχɛn / mui̯ˈalχɛn] = blackbird mwyalchen y mynydd = ring ouzel |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | molgh = thrush molgh dhu = blackbird molgh loos = song thrush molgh glas = mistle thrush molgh meneth = ring ouzel |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | moualc’h / moualc’h zu = blackbird moualc’h-venez = ring ouzel |
Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *h₂ems- (black, blackbird).
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | lon [l͈on] = blackbird |
|---|---|
| Irish (Gaeilge) | lon / lon dubh = (Common / Eurasian) blackbird (Turdus merula), lon creige ring ouzel (Turdus torquatus) |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | lon [l̪ˠɔn] / lòn-dubh [l̪ˠɔnˈduh] = blackbird, ouzel lon-monaidh = ring ouzel |
| Manx (Gaelg) | llondoo = blackbird lhonnag = (immature) blackbird lhon ny keylley = mistle thrush lhon fainnit / lhon ny greg = ring ouzel |
Etymology: unknown
| Proto-Celtic | *traskl / *trozdi = thrush |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | truit = starling |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | truis = thrush |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | druid [drɯdʲ] = starling, thrush |
| Manx (Gaelg) | treshlen = song thrush treshlen vooar = mistle thrush |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | tresglen = (mistle) thrush tresglen y crawel = mistle thrush |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | drask(l) = thrush drask-su = song thrush drask-rouee = mistle thrush |
Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *trozdo- (thrush).
Other Welsh words for blackbird include aderyn du (“black bird”), and pigfelyn (“yellow beak”).
A song thrush in Welsh is y fronfraith (“the speckled breast”), crecer, bronfraith y grug, aderyn bronfraith or bronfraith fawr.
Here’s a tune I wrote called The Blackbird’s Tail / Cynffon yr Aderyn Du:
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, TermOfis