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 Irish. The equivalent in Scottish Gaelic is rendered uisge-beatha.[1] The word "whisky" (as spelt in Scotland) or "whiskey" (as spelt in Ireland) itself is simply an anglicised version of this phrase,[2] stemming from a mispronunciation of the word uisce in Ireland or uisge in Scotland. This development 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. External link in |publisher= (help)


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