# Shainte! Language, Meaning? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 26, 2003, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shainte-language-meaning/215392 "2003-11-26T15:30:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shainte-language-meaning/215392/1 "2003-11-26T15:30:26Z")
“Shainte!” Is this Irish for “Cheers”? What other such Irish expressions are quite common? And, is “saykes and b’geerah” (true sp?) a real expression, too? Just wondering… Ahhhh, t’anks to all fer yer help! - Jinx ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shainte-language-meaning/215392/2 "2003-11-26T15:36:33Z")
It’s _sláinte_, first of all. Literally means “health”. Other common Irish expressions are “Jaysus”, “feck sake” and “me arse”. Nobody says “begorrah” except Americans. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shainte-language-meaning/215392/3 "2003-11-26T15:40:05Z")
The word is **sláinte**. It’s pronounced: “slAHN-chu” and means “health”. I’ve never heard of “saykes”, but the cliché is “faith and begorrah” (sakes may be a corruption of “the Lord’s sake”), which I think comes from “By God” (not 100% sure about that). I don’t think anyone uses this phrase outside of stereotype or jest. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shainte-language-meaning/215392/4 "2003-11-26T15:41:21Z")
Ooops, I didn’t preview to see **ruadh’s** post. Correction to my second paragraph: I’ve never heard of “saykes”, but the cliché is “faith and begorrah” (“saykes” may be a corruption of “the Lord’s sake”). I think “begorrah” comes from “By God” (not 100% sure about that). ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shainte-language-meaning/215392/5 "2003-11-26T15:53:29Z")
Well, I believe I just coined “saykes” because that’s what I thought I was always hearing people saying…in lieu of a swear, I WAGged. Thanks fer settin’ mee straight, now! One more out-of-season question: Is a shamrock just Irish for clover? Or, is it slightly different? - Jinx ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shainte-language-meaning/215392/6 "2003-11-26T16:00:22Z")
A shamrock is a totally different plant to clover. It’s much more of a bushy plant with very small, delicate leaves. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shainte-language-meaning/215392/7 "2003-11-26T16:12:52Z")
> [@](#): > > What other such Irish expressions are quite common? How about “_póg mo thóin_,” **Jinx** y? ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shainte-language-meaning/215392/8 "2003-11-26T16:13:34Z")
I always thought it was _sure_\* an’ begorrah… Hey, at least that rhymes. **Slainte** posts here, btw. When TGI Friday’s used “slainte” at the end of their commercials, I thought they were saying - no joke - “So whyncha?” As in “so why don’t you?” Anyway, isn’t “slainte” Gaelic? Or is that what you guys mean when you say it’s an Irish word? ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shainte-language-meaning/215392/9 "2003-11-26T16:15:33Z")
The language is called Irish. It belongs to the Gaelic group of languages. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shainte-language-meaning/215392/10 "2003-11-26T16:28:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jinx \* > **What other such Irish expressions are quite common?** Well, there are areas mainly in the west of Ireland where Irish is the first language (Irish is my wife’s first language) called _Gaeltacht_ - in these places, the whole language is Irish. If you mean which Irish language expressions are common in the English-speaking parts of Ireland, I can only think of a couple - people occasionally say _bainne_ (BAHN-yu) for milk, _leabaidh_ (LA-ba) for bed. Most Irish government instutions are named in the Irish language: _Bord Gáis_ (Gas board), _An Taisce_ (National trust), _Bord Bia_ (the food board), _Iarnród Éireann_ (Irish rail), _Bord na Móna_ (the Irish Peat Board). Some real Irish people (rather than plastic Paddies) might be able to help out better. > [@](#): > > **Hey, at least that rhymes.** Er… how? BTW, as already stated, _póg mo thóin_ is occasionally used too. I’ll let you find the meaning out yourself. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shainte-language-meaning/215392/11 "2003-11-26T16:35:54Z")
Don’t forget the national police, the _Garda Síochána_. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shainte-language-meaning/215392/12 "2003-11-26T16:44:46Z")
And of course the political parties _Sinn Féin_ (shin feign), _Fine Gael_ (fee-nuh gale), and _Fianna Fáil_ (fyuh-nuh foil). And the battle cry of the IRA, _tiocfaidh ar la_ (chucky are law) - “our day will come”. ---
**Author:** ![aerodave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f08c70/32.png) [@aerodave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aerodave)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shainte-language-meaning/215392/13 "2003-11-26T19:07:12Z")
I take it the OP has been reading the Killian’s bottle. ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shainte-language-meaning/215392/14 "2003-11-26T19:16:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jjimm \* > **_Fianna Fáil_ (fyuh-nuh foil).** Never heard anyone pronounce it that way. “Feena foil”, more like. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shainte-language-meaning/215392/15 "2003-11-26T20:36:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ruadh \* > \*\*Never heard anyone pronounce it that way. “Feena foil”, more like. \*\* Ah well, I did my best. ---
**Author:** ![Slainte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a698b9/32.png) [@Slainte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slainte)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shainte-language-meaning/215392/16 "2003-11-26T23:21:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dantheman \* > \*\* > > **Slainte** posts here, btw. > > \*\* Indeed I do. I visited Dublin about 4 years ago and enjoyed several pints of Guinness to that toast. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shainte-language-meaning/215392/17 "2003-11-26T23:30:49Z")
**acsenray, jjimm** , you can kiss mine - fat, hairy and English though it is 😉 ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shainte-language-meaning/215392/18 "2003-11-27T04:15:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jjimm \* > \*\*Er… how? > > \*\* Okay, maybe they only rhyme in my head. I’ve never heard “begorrah” pronounced; I’ve only read it. I thought it sounded like “buh-GORE-ah,” which would make it a rhyme with “sure.” If it were true, that is.