Slainte and what the Irish words means on St.Patricks Day
Posted on Thursday, March 17, 2011 at 09:55 AM
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Slainte is the most used Irish expression in America our recent reader survey discovered.
Slainte, meaning Good Health' is an ancient Irish expression that derives from the word Slan, meaning safe.
It is used in different contexts, usually when downing a pint of Guinness, you say 'Slainte',before you begun drinking it.
It means literally good health.
There are many other expression that use slainte, such as 'Is fearr an slainte na an tainte" "health is better than wealth" in Irish
Another expression is 'Go dte tu slan" may you go safe which is what you say when someone is leaving on a journey.
Slainte na bfear' 'Good health to the men' is another derivative , which is used when drinking in the company of men.
Slainte na mbean, is the opposite when drinking with women!
Slan is another Gaelic term that sounds like Slainte but has a different meaning, It means goodbye.
Slan go deo, means 'goodbye for ever'
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maburns | Mar 17, 2011, 02:24 PM EDT
I like it. I'd like to know more words,so I will return to this site
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ThatOtherGuy | Mar 17, 2011, 12:55 PM EDT
I know now that it's pronounced "slawn-cha", but when I was growing up, my first generation Irish-American parents and their siblings always pronounced it "Sha-lanty."
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irishcypressbay | Mar 17, 2011, 12:30 PM EDT
Good health to all
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McNamara31 | Mar 17, 2011, 11:25 AM EDT
A Very Happy St. Patrick's Day to all!
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oconnellj | Mar 17, 2011, 09:56 AM EDT
I saw the word for the first time just this week and wanted to know what it meant - I like it!
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