Words for trout and related fish in the Celtic languages.
| 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