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Expert: Ted Nesbitt - 5/7/2006


Question
what does "slainte mhath" mean?
i dont even know where it comes from.

thank you for your time

Answer
Dear Tomas:

It is an expression used in some areas of Ireland and Scotland -- it's from the Gaelic language.  The words are like a "toast" when you are saluting someone or something with a drink of alcohol -- like "cheers" or "skoal" or "prosit" or "salud."

Slainte Mhath means literally "Good Health" - slainte translates vaguely as health, "mhath" is the feminine form of "math" (pron. "maa"). In Scots Gaelic, we aspirate to make an adjective feminine. Thus the name "Mairi" (Marie) is given extra feminine emphasis by aspiration - "Mhairi" (pron. "Varry").

It is a Gaelic word.  Irish, Gaelic
(Scottish), and Welsh are all related languages.

Pronounce "slainte mhath" as "Slanzh'va", and utter it
when someone buys you a drink!



Ted Nesbitt

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Ted Nesbitt

Expertise

I have an interest in the meanings of words and phrases, as well as how and when they became part of the English language. I enjoy researching idioms, colloquialisms, dialects, and obscurities of all kinds. I prefer short questions on a particular subject, and I will not accept lengthy research projects or term papers. NOTE: ALLEXPERTS CLAIMS THAT I TRANSLATE FROM ENGLISH TO LATIN AND FROM LATIN TO ENGLISH. I DO NOT. ALLEXPERTS REFUSES TO DELETE THE LATIN-TO-ENGLISH SERVICE -- ONE THAT I DO NOT PROVIDE. TRUST ME ON THIS: ALLEXPERTS IS WRONG. I DO NOT TRANSLATE FROM ENGLISH TO LANGUAGE. LOOK FOR A LANGUAGE EXPERT INSTEAD. ETYMOLOGY AND TRANSLATING SERVICES ARE ENTIRELY DIFFERENT. ALLEXPERTS SHOULD KNOW THAT. ALLEXPERTS DOES NOT KNOW THAT. I HAVE TRIED FOR MANY YEARS TO GET THEM TO CHANGE. THEY WILL NOT. SORRY, BUT I DO NOT TRANSLATE FROM ENGLISH TO LATIN.

Experience

I am the bibliographic instruction and reference librarian at a public
college. My master's thesis concerns William Faulkner's tragic novels. I formerly taught advanced placement English at two schools in the Philadelphia area.
I have been a member of the grammar and writing section of Allexperts
for more than a year.



Education/Credentials
Masters degrees in English, philosophy, and library science.

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