General names
The following is based on analysis of dictionaries and other sources. Comments and corrections are welcome.
Note on Vietnamese naming: With the exception of ducks and chickens, it is common for Vietnamese bird names to be preceded by the word Chim meaning 'bird', although it is normally omitted in Vietnamese bird lists. All bird names, whether they include chim or not, can be preceded by the classifier con, which is used for living creatures.
Irena puella is called Chim lam or 'blue bird'.
Cultural:
In Vietnamese tradition, the Chim lam or 'blue bird' is a messenger, often between lovers. The name and associated tradition are derived from the Chinese 藍鳥 'blue bird', which is often translated into English as 'fairy blue bird'.
It is rather unlikely that the 'fairy blue bird' was actually modelled on Irena puella, since it is found only in remote parts of Yunnan and Tibet, territories not occupied by the Chinese until well after the 藍鳥 legend arose. It seems more likely that the name of the legendary bird was given to Irena puella later, either by the Chinese themselves or by the Vietnamese.
Species names
ABOUT THIS TABLE (Hover cursor to see) SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN |
VIETNAMESE |
EAST ASIAN |
S. E. ASIAN |
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| Irena | ||||||||
Latin |
English/French |
Vietnamese |
Other V |
Chinese (incl. Taiwan) |
Japanese |
Thai |
Malaysian |
Indonesian |
Irena puella |
Asian fairy-bluebird Asian blue-backed fairy bluebird Blue-mantled fairy bluebird Blue-backed fairy bluebird Irène vierge |
Chim lam 'blue bird' |
和平鸟 (和平鳥) 'peace bird' |
ルリコノハドリ (瑠璃木の葉鳥 ~ 琉璃木の葉鳥) ruri ko-no-ha dori 'lapis lazuli leaf-bird' |
นกเขียวคราม nók kʰĭaw-kʰraam 'indigo-green bird' |
Burung Murai Gajah 'elephant thrush bird' (26, 27) Burung Dendang Gajah 'elephant crow (bird)' (24) |
Burung Kecembang Gadung 'gadung fairybluebird (bird)' (gadung is woody vine Dioscorea hispida or D. daemona, known as intoxicating yam) |
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