Today we’re looking at the words for flies, gnats, midges and other wee beasties in Celtic languages.
Words marked with an * are reconstructions.
| Proto-Celtic | *kulis = fly |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | cuil [kulʲ] = fly, flea, gnat minchuil = midge |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | cuil, cúil = fly, flea, gnat cuilech, cuilig = flea-ridden cuileóc, cuileóg [ˈkulʲoːɡ] = fly |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | cuil = fly cuileog [kəˈlʲoːɡ / ˈkilʲoːɡ] = fly cuil Bhealtaine = may-fly cuil chrónáin = bluebottle |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | cuil [kul] = fly (insect) cuileag [kulag] = fly (insect / for fishing) cuileagach [kulagəx] = pertaining to or abounding in flies cuileag-bheag, cuileag-mheanbh, cuileag-mhìn = Highland midge (culicoides impunctatus) |
| Manx (Gaelg) | quill = fly, gnat, midge quaillag = fly, housefly |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | kylyon = flies kylyonyn = fly |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | cylionyn, cylionen fly, housefly, bluebottle, wasp, gnat cylion [ˈkəljɔn] = flies, etc cylionwr = fly-catcher |
| Old Cornish | kelionen = fly |
| Middle Cornish (Cernewec) | celionen = fly |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | kelyonen = fly kelyon = flies |
| Old Breton (Brethonoc) | keleon = flies |
| Middle Breton (Brezonec) | quelyenenn, quelyenen = fly quelyen = flies quelyenec = (a place) abounding in flies |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | kelien, kelion [ˈkɛ.ljɛn] = flies kelienenn = fly kelienek = (a place) abounding in flies |
Etymology: possibly from Proto-Indo-European *ḱuH-ló- (?), which is also the root of culex (gnat, midge, mosquito) in Latin, and cúlex (mosquito) in Catalan, and kulo (gnat) in Esperanto [source].
In Welsh chwiw(i)ad is small fly or midge, and a gnat or midge is propriad or titiad. Midge or gnat is gwibesen in Cornish, and c’hwibu or mouch in Breton.
For more words for insects, etc, see the Celtiadur post Animals.
Sources: Wiktionary, Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic, In Dúil Bélrai English – Old Irish glossary, eDIL – Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language, Teanglann.ie, Am Faclair Beag, An etymological dictionary of the Gaelic language, Fockleyreen: Manx – English Dictionary, Online Manx Dictionary, Gaelg Corpus, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Lexicon cornu-britannicum : a dictionary of the ancient Celtic language of Cornwall, Gerlyver Kernewek, Devri : Le dictionaire diachronique du breton, Geriafurch, TermOfis