英文词源
- whiskey (n.)
- 1715, from Gaelic uisge beatha "whisky," literally "water of life," from Old Irish uisce "water" (from PIE *ud-skio-, from root *wed- (1) "water, wet;" see water (n.1)) + bethu "life" (from PIE *gwi-wo-tut-, suffixed form of *gwi-wo-, from root *gweie- (1) "to live;" see bio-).
According to Barnhart, the Gaelic is probably a loan-translation of Medieval Latin aqua vitae, which had been applied to intoxicating drinks since early 14c. (compare French eau de vie "brandy"). Other early spellings in English include usquebea (1706) and iskie bae (1580s). In Ireland and Scotland obtained from malt; in the U.S. commonly made from corn or rye. Spelling distinction between Scotch whisky and Irish and American whiskey is a 19c. innovation. Whisky sour is recorded from 1889.
中文词源
whiskey：威士忌
来自苏格兰盖尔语uisge-beatha,生命之水，uisge,水，词源water,beatha,生命，词源同biology.
该词的英语词源请访问趣词词源英文版：whiskey 词源，whiskey 含义。
whiskey：威士忌
“酒”在不少语言中都被做“生命之水”。拉丁语把“酒”叫做aquavitae；瑞典语把“酒”叫做akvavit；法语把“酒”叫做eau-de-vie，都是“生命之水”的意思。
“威士忌”这一酒名来自苏格兰和爱尔兰的盖尔语uisge beatha，意思也是“生命之水”。英国国王亨利八世（Henry VIII，1491——1547）特别喜爱这种新牌子的酒，便将它推而广之，在广泛的流传中，这种酒的名字也渐由uisge beatha演变成usquebaugh，又变成whisheybaugh，whiskbae，最后变成whiskey或whishy.
俄国人则更简单，把他们制的酒叫做Bogka（伏特加），意思是对“水”的爱称。
whiskey：威士忌
来自苏格兰盖尔语 uisge-beatha,生命之水，uisge,水，词源 water,beatha,生命，词源同 biology. whisper 耳语