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satakieli

English translation: nightingale

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Finnish term or phrase:satakieli
English translation:nightingale
Entered by: ohemulen

02:50 Jul 1, 2004
Finnish to English translations [Non-PRO]
Science - Zoology / ornithology
Finnish term or phrase: satakieli
Why is "satakieli" called "satakieli"? If it is for its melodious voice, then why is another species, in another language, also called "100 tongues", and its call is shrill and harsh? The species in question is "shrike, aka butcherbird" - "bullheaded shrike", to be precise - and the language is Japanese. The Japanese name is "mozu", and one way of writing it is in two (or three) chararacters meaning, respectively, "hundred", "tongue" (and "bird"). The Finnish for "shrike" is "lepinkäinen", if I'm not mistaken. The birds are as unlike each other as are the Finns and the Japanese, but still, is it a coincidence, a linguistic quirk? Or is it just based on the sheer loudness of their voices?

Kiitoksia etukäteen,
Doomo shitsurei itashimashita.
Kamil Ibragimov
nightingale
Explanation:
I´m fairly sure it refers to the "multitude of voices" the bird produces.

I haven't been able to find any references to the etymology of bird names on the net. There is, however, a book called Linnun nimi by Kaisa Häkkinen which might help you further.

You´ll find her thoughts on the origin of bird names in Finnish in the article below. Good luck!
Selected response from:

ohemulen
France
Local time: 00:06
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Summary of answers provided
5 +2nightingale
ohemulen


  

Answers


2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
nightingale


Explanation:
I´m fairly sure it refers to the "multitude of voices" the bird produces.

I haven't been able to find any references to the etymology of bird names on the net. There is, however, a book called Linnun nimi by Kaisa Häkkinen which might help you further.

You´ll find her thoughts on the origin of bird names in Finnish in the article below. Good luck!


    Reference: http://www.mtv3.fi/uutiset/kulttuuri/arkisto.shtml?2004/01/2...
ohemulen
France
Local time: 00:06
Native speaker of: Native in SwedishSwedish, Native in FinnishFinnish
Grading comment
Graded automatically based on peer agreement.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  anrira
26 mins
  -> Kiitos, Anu!
agree  Desmond O'Rourke
5 hrs
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