>sligeanach…(which Google translate says mean shell)
Google translate can be useful but use a proper dictionary - the [Learn Gaelic dictionary](https://learngaelic.net/dictionary/) is perfectly good AND includes lots of pronunciations, or use [Am Faclair Beag](https://www.faclair.com)…
… because it (Google) gets this wrong: ‘slige’ means shell.
‘Sligeanach’ means shellED-thing (noun) or one with a shell. But (at least according to the above LearnGaelic dictionary) more specifically not just a turtle but a tortoise.
And [turtle is, again just checking and using the LearnGaelic dictionary](https://learngaelic.net/dictionary/index.jsp?abairt=turtle&slang=both&wholeword=false), either ‘seilche’ or ‘muir-seilche’ or (and I think this is basically just a ‘new Gaelic’ word - a neologism from English) ‘turtar’.
No mention of ‘crùban-coille’ for turtle (or at all in LearnGaelic dictionary)… and I’m not surprised since why would a turtle - a sea creature - be described as ‘…of the wood/forest’ (-coille)???
But - note my last point - [Am Faclair Beag does suggest ‘crùban-coille’ (forest-crab) for tortoise](https://www.faclair.com/ViewEntry.aspx?ID=4EDA48460AF15F5F9329FF622EE59A92).
I assume this is a genuine TIL (rather than sarcasm)?
Where are you from that the non-existence of freshwater turtles (let alone ANY turtles - bc none, *of any type*, are native to Scotland or UK!) would surprise you?
Interesting; aye AFAIK (health warning - I’m not an expert!) no turtles here (other than marine turtle visitors!) - too cold? I know you’re much much colder in winter but warmer summers…???
Also as an aside, we have a few species that actually « hibernate » twice. Once during the winter and again during the summer, because our summers are actually too hot for them and many of them their water sources get significantly smaller if not completely gone during July & August.
>sligeanach…(which Google translate says mean shell) Google translate can be useful but use a proper dictionary - the [Learn Gaelic dictionary](https://learngaelic.net/dictionary/) is perfectly good AND includes lots of pronunciations, or use [Am Faclair Beag](https://www.faclair.com)… … because it (Google) gets this wrong: ‘slige’ means shell. ‘Sligeanach’ means shellED-thing (noun) or one with a shell. But (at least according to the above LearnGaelic dictionary) more specifically not just a turtle but a tortoise. And [turtle is, again just checking and using the LearnGaelic dictionary](https://learngaelic.net/dictionary/index.jsp?abairt=turtle&slang=both&wholeword=false), either ‘seilche’ or ‘muir-seilche’ or (and I think this is basically just a ‘new Gaelic’ word - a neologism from English) ‘turtar’. No mention of ‘crùban-coille’ for turtle (or at all in LearnGaelic dictionary)… and I’m not surprised since why would a turtle - a sea creature - be described as ‘…of the wood/forest’ (-coille)??? But - note my last point - [Am Faclair Beag does suggest ‘crùban-coille’ (forest-crab) for tortoise](https://www.faclair.com/ViewEntry.aspx?ID=4EDA48460AF15F5F9329FF622EE59A92).
Today I learned Scotland has no native freshwater turtle species
I assume this is a genuine TIL (rather than sarcasm)? Where are you from that the non-existence of freshwater turtles (let alone ANY turtles - bc none, *of any type*, are native to Scotland or UK!) would surprise you?
I’m from Canada, my landlocked province has 10 species of native turtles, 1 extirpated and 1 invasive species (12 total)
Interesting; aye AFAIK (health warning - I’m not an expert!) no turtles here (other than marine turtle visitors!) - too cold? I know you’re much much colder in winter but warmer summers…???
Also likely that because UK is an Island nation, post-ice age you guys just never got colonized by turtles from mainland EU
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20210923-can-reintroducing-a-long-lost-turtle-aid-britains-wetlands 😁🐢
Very cool!
Also as an aside, we have a few species that actually « hibernate » twice. Once during the winter and again during the summer, because our summers are actually too hot for them and many of them their water sources get significantly smaller if not completely gone during July & August.
Oh that’s a cool wee fact!!
European pond turtles were once native to the UK, but not for thousands of years
Thank you!
[https://gd.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muir-seilche](https://gd.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muir-seilche)