Fróðskaparrit - 01.01.1968, Side 96

104
More on Faroese Bird Names
Wichout a doubt, the Manx term is evasive in origin, as its
vagueness eloquently testifies, and it seems noteworthy that
a ridiculous niakname has establisihed itself as the ordinary
term for this bird. In this respect, the comparison with Fa.
kavgás is undeniable, strengthening the view tthat one is dealing
with an originally noa name in Faroese also. In any case,
ridiculous noa names for birds are well known in fishermen’s
parlance. The following have been noticed in Faroese: baka-
spjað ‘heron’ lit. ‘old spade’, sóttræ ‘shag’ lit. ‘soot beam’.
That the practice is old is proved by havtyrðil ‘stormy petrel’
lit. ‘ocean muck’, attested in ON haftyrðill ‘kind of seabird’.
Of course this latter has, like havgás, become a quite usual
name, and is no longer confined to seamen’s language.
It looks as though it will be best to separate havgás from
havgassa, ragarding the former as an independent Faroese
coining, the latter as a suibsequent importation oif Dan. hav-
gasse, the degree of formal relationship being due to chance.
Imbrimil
It is evident that the foregoing discussion of havgás has
some relevance for the philology of its older synonym im-
brimil. This name continues ON himbrin (or some unre-
corded variant), but modified by brimil ‘male seal’ (FBN, 64).
lt would seem a priori strange that a seal name should influ-
ence a bird name, However, in view of what was observed
in tthe case of havgás, we are well within the bounds of
probability if we consider imbrimil as a deliberate perversion
of the older form of the name though facetious association
with brimil in the service of name taboo. Nor should we omit
to mention the form ‘Ildbrimel’ (Clusius, 1605) which, if
genuine, must surely represent illbrimil ‘male seal of ill omen’.
Thus the stage is reached when a bird name is fully trans-
formed into an animal name, which in turn can have suggested
further possi'bilities, as illustrated in our next example.