Cally Ullman-Smith, Volunteer for ARC’s Saving Scotland’s Amphibian and Reptiles Project gives us a few tips on terminology in Gaelic! 

 
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig na h’ Alba) may be in minority, spoken and understood by a fortunate few, but it is a language of the land. It is connected to the heartland of Scottish nature; the Highlands (A' Ghàidhealtachd) where it occurs in the local tongue in the proud names of the landscape that hold the wonders of Scotland’s biodiversity. It is here we might still find an abundance of adders and the palmate newt (also known as the Celtic newt). Gaelic phrases may not be necessary for everyday communication, but they engender a closeness to the landscape and offer insights in cultural significance that is found in these creutairean (animals) and the names of many of the places we call home. 

 
Only 70 years ago, Gaelic would have been widespread and frequently heard across the Highlands and Islands, just as all the small dragons were common in our gardens and walks in the country.  It is vital that we conserve not just our wildlife, but also what makes us connected to our special places. The Highland’s newts and adders, lizards and frogs would have been used to hearing the melodic rhythm of a language which is being lost at the same rate as our biodiversity. We either act now or lose so much of what makes us. We can no longer afford to take these factors for granted; to forget the simple joy of being a child holding a frog; to lose the meaning behind the words. Let us strive that, one-day, future generations will see small dragons just by stepping outside and say “Seall, tha e laghairt breagha!” -  Look, it’s a beautiful lizard!

 
So, may the following give you greater pleasure in knowing the secret name of our Amphibians and Reptiles the next time you meet them! Pronunciation guides may be found on the online dictionary of LearnGaelic.Scot. 

Muir-Thìreach: Amphibian

Losgann – frogs and toads 
Losgann is also the word for a sledge (Anurans have a sledge-like shape).  However, it is still possible to distinguish in Gaelic between frogs and toads as their colour is simply added: 
Dubh meaning black for a toad as in Losgann Dubh
Buidhe meaning yellow for a frog as in Losgann Buidhe 
In Scottish Gaelic the adjective is added after the noun in reverse to the English.  
Lìugair is acceptable for newt, however, a more distinct name is: Dearc-Luachrach-Mara; meaning water rush lizard. Rush as in rushes the plant and the word Dearc is used more for lizard-like or reptilian than as a word for an actual lizard.  

Snàgair: Reptile

Nathair – snake     
Laghairt – lizard 
Dearc – lizard-like, reptilian 
Seilche – chelonians (may be applied to all, turtles, tortoises, and terrapins, though a rare find in the Scottish Highlands!) 
sligeanach – tortoises specifically, the word is the same for shell. 
Muir-Seilche – sea turtle 

 

Phrases to Use: 
Coltach ri – “similar to”/ “like a,” e.g., coltach ri laghairt (like a lizard) 
Creutairean – animals
‘S e an t-ainm a th’air – Its name is 
Seall! Tha e/i… - Look! It is a…

What they say: 
Animals have different accents and say different things, in every language in the Highlands. Snakes do not hiss, and frogs do not croak…!  
Dè tha an losgann ag ràdh?  What does the frog say? 
Thuirt an losgann gnàg.  Ribbit said the frog. 
Dè tha an nathair ag ràdh? What does the snake say? 
Thuirt an nathair fais.  Hiss said the snake. 

Describing these animals: 
Chan eil an sligeanach luath tha e sloadaiche – the tortoise is not fast it is slow. 
Tha an laghairt coltach ri dràgon beag – The lizard looks like a small dragon 
Chan eil casan aig an nathair - The snake has no legs 
Chan eil losgann-dubh blasta – a toad is not tasty 
Tha an Dearc-Luachrach-Mara a’ fuireach ann an uisge– The newt lives in water 
Alainn – lovely 
Breagha – beautiful 
Garbh - rough 
Beag – small 
Mòr – big

To find out more about Saving Scotlands Amphibians and Reptiles, check out their Project Page