UNEARTHING SLANG MEANING

The Luck Of The Irish: 10 Popular Sayings From The Emerald Isle

Image: Marian Brandt

According to the latest census, more than 31.5 million residents in the US claim to have Irish ancestry. Large states such as New York, California, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania have the largest percentage of Irish Americans. So, even if you’ve never been to Ireland, you’ve probably heard one of these expressions at least once. But, do you know exactly what they mean or where they come from? Don’t worry, we've got you covered. Here are 10 of the most popular Irish slang words and phrases and their meanings.

Image: Yan Ming

The literal meaning of this phrase is "The best part of the morning to you" and is used as a greeting to wish somebody a good day. If that’s not sounding Irish enough, you should know that the traditional response for it is: "And the rest of the day to yourself".

This phrase was commonly used in all of the UK in the Victorian Era but fell out of use only to be revived later as a stereotypical Irish expression. Although it may have originated in Ireland, you probably won’t find a single Irish person saying it today. Maybe Hollywood had something to do with transforming it into a cliched Irish-ism?

Image: Pixabay

Every March 17th when we prepare to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day we dust off the famous phrase "Erin go bragh". But do you know exactly what it represents? According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Erin go bragh today means "Ireland forever". However, the original Irish expression was Erin go brách (or go bráth), which translates as "Ireland until eternity" or "Ireland till doomsday."

This popular statement originated during the 18th-century Irish rebellion against the British and was used to convey loyalty and devotion to the land. Later, a group of Irish volunteers joined the Mexican side in the Mexican–American War waving about a green flag with a harp and the motto Erin Go Bragh. In the decades following, similar flags have been used at different times to express Irish nationalism. So now you know the real story behind this historic expression!

Image: Engin Akyurt

Depending on the tone, this phrase can sound harsh or affectionate. Stop acting the maggot is an informal expression used to describe someone who is acting rowdy, lazy, or foolishly. If a friend or relative —especially the littlest ones— is not doing what they are supposed to and they are getting on your nerves, you can say "cop on" which also means stop "acting the maggot".

Like with many other slang terms or idioms, it is hard to trace the origin of this one. How such a disgusting creature as a maggot made its way into an expression used for decades is a mystery. However, it is a popular saying you’ll hear often in Ireland. You’ll also even find it printed on t-shirts and mugs!

Image: Ann

You’ll frequently find the word craic in songs and other pop culture references. The truth is, craic became a staple in Irish slang, now used to describe a good time or a fun experience. The term comes from the Old English word "cracian" which meant an abrupt sound or sharp noise.

With time, the word came to convey general noise or commotion, and by the 20th century, it had morphed into a more positive term meaning enjoyable experiences. It’s pronounced like "crack" and you’ll probably hear it in the famous phrase What's the craic?, that is, "What’s happening?" or "Is there anything going on?".

Image: Pressmaster

This one is another St. Patrick’s classic and a pub staple. If you ever had a drink —or five— with Irish people, you most certainly have heard the expression Sláinte!

Commonly used when lifting a glass to toast, this interjection literally translates to "Good Health". The word derives from the Old Irish word slán, meaning "healthy" or "safe" and it's pronounced slawn-sha. In other words, it is the Irish version of the English Cheers!

Image: Christian Hess Araya

This expression is a colloquial way to indicate a long period of time, similar to saying "for ages" or "for a very long time". Although it is believed to have originated in British English in the early 20th century, it is a very popular phrase in Ireland. Commonly used when you are not sure about an exact amount of years, it likely comes from the idea that donkeys live a long time compared to other animals, for example, horses.

Another plausible explanation is that it is a pun on the long ears of donkeys. In this case, the origin may have more to do with rhyming slang, taking advantage of homophones, that is, the similar pronunciation between the two words.

Image: mana5280

The term yoke originated in Northern Ireland and has deep roots in the local culture. It is commonly used to refer to anything, person, or object when you don’t want to specify its actual name or title. The word yoke is likely derived from the Old English word geoc, which refers to a wooden frame used to harness animals.

Either as a placeholder when used to refer to an object or as a funny way of invoking a memorable event, yoke is an incredibly versatile word that can be applied in different situations. Specifically, the expression You're some yoke! is used to address someone affectionately, meaning something similar to "You're pretty awesome".

Image: Pixabay

If you are ever in Ireland and in need of a restroom just ask anyone: Where's the jacks?According to the legend, the first-ever multi-cubicle toilet was invented in 1806 by an Irish man called Jack Power. He is said to have had 38 children, so no wonder he was in desperate need of some privacy.

Although he patented his system, people insisted on calling it "Jacks". The more angry he became with him being associated with going to the toilet, the more people continued to address it this way. By popular belief, Jack eventually changed his name and moved to the UK. Urban myth or not, for the Irish, a toilet will always be referred to as "the Jacks".

Image: Falaq Lazuardi

Feeling tired and worn out? Has your car broken down? Then you are in need of the Irish slang word banjaxed. This term is widely used in Ireland to describe something —or someone— that is not working properly. It derives from the verb banjax, meaning "to damage or smash", although the exact origin of the word is not known.

Despite its defeatist connotation, it is an expression that is used colloquially and even humorously. So don't be afraid to drop a banjax here and there if you ever feel frustrated. It will take the weight off any problem!

Image: Isravel Raj

We didn’t want to end this article without saying goodbye —unlike the Irish! Well, to be honest, that’s a bit of a stretch. It’s not clear what is particularly Irish about the so-called Irish exit, meaning making a sneaky departure from a gathering without saying goodbye first. According to Dictionary.com, the expression can be traced back to Boston, Massachusetts, a city with a large Irish-American population.

Some suggest it has to do with Irish hospitality and the fact that their parties tend to go on for a long time, so it’s just easier to sneak out. Others associate it with the reserved personality of the Irish, who preferred not to draw attention to themselves. We’ll never know for sure, but if you ever find yourself feeling a bit tipsy it is okay to make an Irish exit to avoid revealing how drunk you really are!

Tasty idioms

Why is a baker’s dozen 13? These 10 food idioms spiced up our language

Image: Mae Mu

Food idioms have a way of adding flavor to our speech. From "crying over spilled milk" to being accused of "being a couch potato," we have internalized these phrases and no longer notice their edible main characters. What are the origins of these funny lines? Did their meanings evolve over the centuries? Grab a snack and read on to learn the history of food-related idioms that have seasoned our language since as early as 77 A.D.

Image: Mouse23

You can go ahead and imagine someone trying to staple or nail jelly to the bark. This line applies to tasks that are either challenging or impossible. One of its earliest uses is believed to have been by President Theodore Roosevelt. Legend has it that, over inconclusive talks about the building of the Panama Canal, he said: "Negotiating with those pirates is like trying to nail currant jelly to the wall."

Similar hyperbolic idioms suggest that someone attempting the impossible is trying to "catch the wind" or "herding cats." Also, it may refer to projects that are as difficult as they are useless, just like nailing jelly to a tree.

Image: Prchi Palwe

Of the list, this is the most modern idiom. It gained popularity in the 2010s via jokes on the internet and social media culture. In a world where tea equals gossip, "spilling the tea", "bringing the tea", or "serving the tea" means to provide juicy, exclusive details about a story. It derives from the shorthand for "Truth": a capital "T". While it’s too soon for the expression to be in every dictionary, the slang is widespread enough to be understood in several countries.

Image: Liana S

This saying is recent enough to have a known author. In the 1970s, a man called Tom Iacino improvised this term in a phone call to refer to his lazy friend. From then on, Tom and his close ones adopted the words to laugh about their sedentary habits. The expression soon became used in cartoons and TV shows, and eventually caught on. In an interview many years later, Tom said he couldn’t explain why he had come up with that silly image back then.

Image: Noemí Jiménez

Here’s another idiom that stuck because of the humor in the image it paints. Have you ever stopped to picture someone on the floor, crying over spilled milk? Melodramatic, right? The reason the phrase caught on since early mentions in 17th-century English literature is the mockery implied in it. When someone is told not to cry over spilled milk, they are being consoled by the fact that their mishap is rather irrelevant. It also points out that, however minor, their mistake can’t be undone, like putting the milk back in the jar.

Image: Ray Shrewsberry

To be or not to be in a pickle! It was William Shakespeare himself who first penned this idiom in his play The Tempest. He intended it with a different meaning than simply being in trouble, though. In the play, a shipwreck strands two characters on an island with nothing but a barrel of wine. It is their king who finds them later and asks Trinculo, one of them: "How came’st thou in this pickle?," because, by that point, Trinculo is drunk.

Fifty years after Shakespeare’s play, another writer, Samuel Pepys, used the phrase to describe a messy, bothersome, problematic situation. This is the version that stuck through the centuries.

Image: Mae Mu

A baker’s dozen equals 13. Here’s the logic behind that. In medieval England, bakers were subject to strict regulations and often received fines or floggings for shortchanging customers. When you are baking 300 loaves a day in a medieval oven, it is possible that some of them might come out undersized. To avoid conflicts in weighing and counting, bakers adopted the habit of including one or even two extra items in each dozen they sold. This practice was so widespread that by the 16th century, the expression "baker’s dozen" had become a standard term to mean 13.

Image: monicore

The suggestion to "take it with a grain of salt" has ancient origins. It is believed to come from a natural medicine bible written around 77 AD, Pliny the Elder's Naturalis Historia. In it, Pliny recounted a story about the Roman general Pompey, who discovered an antidote for poison that included a grain of salt. This antidote was thought to make one immune to poison if taken regularly. In Classical Latin, Pliny’s words were addito salis grano ("after having added a grain of salt").

Over time, the concept became a metaphor for skepticism. With it, people are advised not to believe everything they hear. Just as a grain of salt could mitigate naïveté.

Image: Young Shih

We can all agree that pre-sliced bread is a major convenience. Back in the 1920s, when the first automatic bread slicer was invented, sliced bread started being sold under the brand name "Wonder Bread". Their ads read: "The greatest forward step in the baking industry since bread was wrapped." After that, popularly, people started to admire new, helpful, or groundbreaking inventions as "the greatest thing since sliced bread".

Image: engin akyurt

To "confess the corn", to "own the corn", or even to "acknowledge the malt" all refer to the act of admitting to at least part of the guilt of some crime. According to Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrases and Fable, this one originated in a Congressional debate of 1828. The fable goes that one of the states had previously claimed to be a corn exporter. Representatives then admitted that they exported hogs who had eaten corn, which was exported in that way.

A funnier version sustains that it was first said in a court case in the 19th century, in which a man was accused of stealing horses and a large supply of corn. It is said that aiming to be dismissed from the charge and the terrible penalty for horse thieves, he stood and declared: "I acknowledge the corn."

Image: American Heritage Chocolate

What’s the point of having a cake and not being able to eat it? The explanation behind this idiom is that, once you have a cake, you can either store it or eat it (and cease to have it). So, the phrase describes the situation of wanting two mutually exclusive things.

The first historical record of this line appears in print in John Heywood's Proverbs (1546). Back then, cake was considered a luxury item. However, the idiom is timeless because it describes internal conflicts that we all have at some point. Should I watch another episode or get some sleep? Have the cake, or eat it?