Uisce beatha

For the Canadian folk rock band, see Uisce Beatha (band).
"Uisce" redirects here. For the album by Non-Intentional Lifeform, see Uisce (album).

Uisce beatha (Irish pronunciation: [ˈɪʃcə ˈbʲahə]) is the name for whiskey in the Irish language.[1] The word "whiskey" itself is simply an anglicized version of this phrase,[2] stemming from a mispronunciation of the word uisce. This may in turn have influenced the Modern Irish word fuisce ("whiskey"). The phrase uisce beatha, literally "water of life", was the name given by Irish monks of the early Middle Ages to distilled alcohol. It is simply a translation of the Latin aqua vitae.[3]

References

  1. ↑ "whisky [ˈwɪskɪ]". www.thefreedictionary.com. Retrieved 17 November 2012.
  2. ↑ "Uisge beatha". www.whiskymag.com. Retrieved 17 November 2012.
  3. ↑ "UISGE! Home of Whisky". http://www.uisge.com/. Retrieved 17 November 2012.