Celtic words for (sea)gull, seabirds of the genus Larus or of the family Laridae.
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
| Proto-Celtic | *wailannā / *voilenno- = seagull |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | faílenn, foílenn = seagull |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | faoileán, faoileog = gull, seagull faoileán bán = common gull (Larus canus) faoileán ceanndubh, faoileán an chaipín = black-headed gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) faoileán droma duibh = greater black-backed gull (Larus marinus) foillan scadán = (Larus argentatus) |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | faoileann [fɯːlən̪ˠ], faoileag [fɯːlag] = gull, seagull, common gull faoileann-bheag = common gull faoileann-dubh = black-headed gull faoileann a’ chinn dhuibh = greater black-backed gull faoileann-mhór = herring gull |
| Manx (Gaelg) | foillan, foilleig, fooilleig = gull, seagull foillan bane = common gull foillan kione doo = black-headed gull foillan saggyrt = greater black-backed gull foillan skeddan = herring gull |
| Proto-Brythonic | *gwuɨlann = seagull |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | gwylan = seagull |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | gwylan [ˈɡʊɨ̯lan / ˈɡʊi̯lan] = sea-gull, sea-mew; fair maiden; glutton gwylan gyffredin = common gull gwylan goes goch / gwylan benddu = black-headed gull gwylan gefnddu = greater black-backed gull gwylan y penwaig = herring gull |
| Old Cornish | guilan = seagull |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | golan [ˈɡoːlan / ˈɡʊlɐn] = gull, seagull gwylan gemyn = common gull skraw / skrawik / scraw = black-headed gull gwylan keyn du = greater black-backed gull gwylan hern = herring gull |
| Old Breton | guilann = seagull |
| Middle Breton | goelann = seagull |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | gouelan [ˈɡweːlãn] = seagull gouelan loue = common gull gouelanig maskl du = black-headed gull gouelan bras = greater black-backed gull gouelan gris = herring gull |
Etymology: thought to be from the Proto-Indo-European *wáy (oh! ah! woe! alas!), possibly related to *waylos (howler, wolf) [source].
The English word gull comes from the Middle English gulle (gull, water bird) and is thought to have been borrowed from a Brythonic language (Welsh or Cornish) [source].
The French word goéland (gull, herring gull) comes from the Breton gouelan [source].
Note: the types of gulls mentioned here are commonly seen in Celtic-speaking areas. Other gulls are available.
Here’s a song I wrote in Manx and English about seagulls and their love of chips: Spollagyn son tey / Chips for tea
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, Dictionnaires bilingues de Francis Favereau / Edition Skol Vreizh, TermOfis
