Nature words

It's interesting how our words for different things change from language to language.  Today I was reminded of the different words we have in Welsh for things in the natural world and how they differ from English words.  Here are some -

Dragonfly -  Gwas y Neidr  - literally translates to ' Servant of the Snake'.

Foxglove -  Ffion  - this is a common name for a girl in Welsh

                                          

                                                                     © Dan Morley

 Bluebells -  Clychau'r Gog -  Bells of the cuckoo

                                  

                                                                  © Dave & Lynne Slater

                                                              ©  anemoneprojectors

Grass -   Gwellt -  Probably related to the word 'Gwallt' which means 'hair' when it refers to human hair.
 

Daffodil - Cenhinen Bedr - Peter's Leeks (Saint Peter)

                                  

                                                                        © Alan Cleaver


Hummingbird - Aderyn y Si - Bird of the Buzz


  Badger - Mochyn Daear - Earth Pig

Raven - Cigfran - Meat Crow

                                

                  

Finch - Llinos - Llinos is a Welsh girl's name

Bear - Arth - probably gave it's name to the mythical hero 'Arthur'.  Other Celtic languages have a similar word for 'bear'.

                             

                                                                      © Zero One

Fox - Llwynog - Comes from the word 'llwyn'  which means grove, or bush.


Snowdonia - Eryri - Welsh name for the national park of Snowdonia. It comes from the word 'Eryr' which means 'Eagle', but others say it's means 'highlands'.

The English name for this national park - Snowdonia, comes from Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales and England.  It comes from Old English 'Snaw Dun' which means Snow Hill.  In Welsh this mountain is called Y Wyddfa.

I advise anyone to visit this National Park.   It's a lot greener and leafier in real life than what they show in some of the dramatic photographs of this area.

                                                                   © Les Haines