Month: November 2020

Seals

By Simon

Words for seal and other creatures in Celtic languages.

Seals

Species of seals that may be found around the Celtic lands include the common or harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) and the grey seal (Halichoerus grypus). Other species are available.

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

Old Irish (Goídelc) rón = seal
Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) rón, ron = seal
Irish (Gaeilge) rón = seal
rón beag = harbour/common seal
rón glas = grey seal
rónach = seals, abounding in seals
cladach rónta = shoal of seals
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) ròn [r̪ˠɔːn] = seal
ròn cumanta / ròn-dubh = harbour/common seal
ròn glas = grey seal
rònan [r̪ˠɔːnan] = little seal
rònach [r̪ˠɔːnəx] = pertaining to or abounding in seals
rònanach [r̪ˠɔːnanəx] = pertaining to or abounding in little seals
Manx (Gaelg) raun = seal
raun beg = harbour/common seal
raun glass/ghlass = grey seal
raunagh = seal-like, seal hunt
Middle Welsh (Kymraec) moelronyeit, moelrawn, moelrhawn = hippopotamus, seal
Welsh (Cymraeg) moelrhon, moelrhawn = seal, porpoise, dophin, hippopotamus
moelrhonaidd = seal-like
moelrhoniwr = seal hunter
Cornish (Kernewek) reun = seal
reun kemmyn = harbour/common seal
reun loos = grey seal
Breton (Brezhoneg) reunig = seal
reunig morleue = harbour/common seal
reunig gris = grey seal

Etymology: possibly from Old English hran (whale), from Proto-Germanic *harza/harza- (a kind of fish). Incidentally, the Irish name Rónán means “little seal” [source].

Middle Welsh (Kymraec) morhwch, morwch = seal, porpoise, dolphin
Welsh (Cymraeg) morwch, môr-hwch = seal, porpoise, dolphin
Old Cornish morhoch = porpoise
Middle Cornish (Cernewec) morhoch = porpoise
Cornish (Kernewek) morhogh = porpoise
Middle Breton (Brezonec) morhouch, mourouch, moroch = porpoise
Breton (Brezhoneg) morhoc’h = porpoise

Etymology (Welsh): from môr (sea) and hwch (calf). The words in Cornish and Breton come from similar roots [source].

Middle Welsh (Kymraec) morylo = seal
Welsh (Cymraeg) morlo [ˈmɔrlɔ] = seal, sealskin
morlo cyffredin = common seal
morlo llwyd = grey seal
Breton (Brezhoneg) leue-mor = seal

Etymology (Welsh): from môr (sea) and llo (calf). The word in Breton come from similar roots [source].

The Fastest Way to Learn Japanese Guaranteed with JapanesePod101.com

Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Online Manx Dictionary, Teanglann.ie, eDIL – Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language, In Dúil Bélrai English – Old Irish glossary, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis, English – ProtoCeltic WordList (PDF), Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic

Unlimited Web Hosting - Kualo

Sea Monsters

By Simon

Words for whale and related sea monsters in Celtic languages.

WHALE

Some species of whales that may be found around the Celtic lands include the humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae), the North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis), the common minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata), the sei whale (Balaenoptera borealis), the fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus), and the killer whale or orca (Orcinus orca). Other species are available.

Proto-Celtic *mori-mīlo = whale
Old Irish (Goídelc) míl mór / bled / bledmil = whale, sea monster
Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) murimil / bled = whale, sea monster
Irish (Gaeilge) míol mór = whale
míol mór an oighir = humpback whale
míol mór an oighir = North Atlantic right whale
droimeiteach beag = common minke whale
droimeiteach = fin whale
mhadadh-cuain = killer whale
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) mial-mhór / muc-mhara / blaoch / bleth / bleidh mhiol = whale
muc-mhara dhronnach, muc-mhara chrotach = humpback whale
muc-mhara cheart thuathach = North Atlantic right whale
muc-mhionc choitcheann, rorcual-beag = common minke whale
muc-mhara nan saoidhean = sei whale
muc-mhara dhruim-iteach / muc-an-sgadain = fin whale
cráin dhubh / grampar = killer whale
Manx (Gaelg) meeyl mooar, muc varrey = whale
feer-whale = right whale
muc-varrey Minke = minke whale
Welsh (Cymraeg) morfil = whale, sea monster, the constellation Cetus (the Whale)
morfil cefngrwm = humpback whale
morfil cywir / morfil walbon = right whale
morfil pigfain = common minke whale
morfil sei / morfil asgellog sei = sei whale
morfil asgellog llwyd = fin whale
morfil danheddog / morfil ffyrnig / lleiddiad = killer whale
Cornish (Kernewek) morvil = whale
Breton (Brezhoneg) morvil = whale
balum askellek = humpback whale
balum reizh du = North Atlantic right whale
skoazog = killer whale

Etymology: these words mean ‘sea creature’, ‘large beast’, ‘sea pig’ or something similar.

The Fastest Way to Learn Japanese Guaranteed with JapanesePod101.com

Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Online Manx Dictionary, Teanglann.ie, eDIL – Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language, In Dúil Bélrai English – Old Irish glossary, An Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis, English – ProtoCeltic WordList (PDF), Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic

Unlimited Web Hosting - Kualo

Water Snakes (Eels)

By Simon

Words for eel in the Celtic languages.

In Celtic-speaking areas, the most common species of eels are the European eel or silver eel (Anguilla anguilla) ,and the European conger (eel) (Conger conger). Other eels are available.

Old Irish (Goídelc) escong / escumg / esconga / escuma = eel
Irish (Gaeilge) eascann [ˈasˠkən̪ˠ] = eel, reptile, snake
eascann abhann = freshwater eel
eascann choncair / eascann mhara = conger eel
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) easgann [esgən̪ˠ] / feasgainn [fesgɪn̪ʲ] = eel
easgann-mhara / easgann-dhubh a’ chladaich = conger eel
Manx (Gaelg) astan = eel
astan marrey = sea eel, conger eel
Welsh (Cymraeg) llysywen / ‘slywen = eel
llysywen ariannaidd = silver eel
llysywen fôr (y môr) / congren = European conger eel
Cornish (Kernewek) sylli = eel
Breton (Brezhoneg) silienn = eel
silienn-dour-dous = European eel
silienn-vor = European conger eel

Etymology: possibly from *esc (water) and the Proto-Indo-European *h₂éngʷʰis (snake).

Eels

Should you find that eels have infested your hovercraft, as they often do, here’s how you can say that in Celtic languages:

  • Irish: Tá m’árthach foluaineach lán d’eascanna
  • Scottish Gaelic: Tha a’ bàta-falbhain agam loma-làn easgannan
  • Manx: Ta my lhong chrowal lane dy astanyn
  • Cornish: Leun a sylli yw ow skath bargesi
  • Welsh: Mae fy hofrenfad yn llawn llyswennod
  • Breton: Leun gant sili eo ma dourruzer

This phrase in many more languages

Here’s a song I wrote some years ago which features hovercrafts and eels and has verses in Welsh and Irish.

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

Trout

By Simon

Words for trout and related fish in the Celtic languages.

Trout

Old Irish (Goídelc) brecc = trout
Irish (Gaeilge) breac [bʲɾʲak] = trout; fish
breac buí / breac rua = brown trout
breac-mara = sea trout
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) breac [brʲɛxɡ] = trout
breac-donn, breac-mara, breac-sàile = brown/sea trout
Manx (Gaelg) brack/breck = trout, brown trout; speckled, spotted
breck awin / breck dhoan = brown trout
breck gial = sea trout
Welsh (Cymraeg) brychyn = a speckled one, freckled person, freckled face; trout
brychiad = spotted or freckled person; sea trout, sewin
brych y dail = sea trout, sewin

Etymology: from the Proto-Celtic *brikkos (speckled, spotted). from the Proto-Indo-European *perḱ- (motley, coloured, spotted).

Some trout-related expressions:

  • Irish: Chomh folláin le breac = as fit as a fiddle (“as healthy as a trout”)
  • Irish: An breac sa bhainne = the fly in the ointment (“the trout in the milk”)
  • Irish: Ní breac é go raibh sé ar an bport = don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched (“It’s not a trout until it’s in the port”)
  • Manx: Ta breck ‘sy laue ny share na braddan ‘sy lhingey = A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush (“The trout in the hand is better than the salmon in the pool”)
  • Manx: Ta breck ‘sy vainney = a fly in the ointment (“a trout is in the milk”)
  • Manx: T’eh cha follan as breck = He’s a fit as a fiddle (“He’s as healthy as a trout”)
Welsh (Cymraeg) brithyll = trout
brithyll môr = sea trout, salmon trout
Old Cornish breithil = trout
Cornish (Kernewek) brythel = trout
Breton (Brezhoneg) brezel = mackerel

Etymology: from the Proto-Celtic *mrixtil(l)o- / *mr-ī- (trout).

Cornish (Kernewek) truth = trout
Breton (Brezhoneg) dluzh = trout
dluzh fario = brown trout
dluzh-mor = sea trout

Etymology: unknown

The species of trout most common found in and around the Celtic speaking lands are the brown trout (Salmo trutta), and the sea trout (Salmo trutta trutta), which is also known as finnock in Scotland, sewin in Wales and white trout or salmon trout in Ireland [source].

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