Grasshoppers! 🦗

Welsh Lolfa SSiW Lounge
#1

Here’s a lovely story of a very rare pink Grasshopper that was found in a garden in Bethesda, North Wales. Did you know that in Wales we have at least five names for Grasshopper? We believe that there are many, many more variations which exist in different dialects and areas.

One of our favourites is Ceiliog y Rhedyn = kayle-yog uh hred-inn, which means cockerel of the fern. Interestingly, in the Bretton language it’s ‘kilhog-raden’ and in the Cornish language it’s ‘kulyek reden’.

Here are the different Welsh names for Grasshopper

  • Ceiliog y gwair = kayle-yog uh goo-ah-eer

  • Ceiliog y rhedyn = kayle-yog uh hred-inn

  • Sioncyn y gwair = shaun-kin goo-ah-eer

  • Robin sbonciwr = robin sbonk-ee-oor

  • Sbonciwr y gwair = sbonk-ee-oor uh goo-ah-eer

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/extremely-rare-pink-grasshoppers-found-24646188?fbclid=IwAR1k0BtcNrQrKDXRsHbUie01H5CT76o0RTaLjsozvjnaqxGTVwJbjEPIcqw

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#2

In the context of Robin sbonciwr, does the robin mean something other than the bird?
Also, I’m guessing thats related to sboncen/squash? I love it when you realise some word link/origins!

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#3

The word robin is used frequently in names of flora and fauna other than the bird, but to be honest I don’t know why.
Sboncen (the game ‘squash’) comes from the verb (y)sboncio - to spring/leap/jump, so sbonciwr is someone/something that springs, leaps or jumps.

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#4

Thanks Siaron. Interesting about the use of “robin”

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