Slan and the other expression are in Irish, a Celtic language that is recognized along with English in the Republic of Ireland. Scottish Gaelic is another Celtic language spoken in the Scottish Higlands and Islands that developed out of Irish. About 2000 years ago Scotland was invaded by the Irish who took their language with them. Both languages look very similar at first sight, but they have diverged somewhat. Welsh is a Celtic language but it differs totally from Irish and Scottish Gaelic. The words for 'yard' are not dissimilar. A sign in Wales still says 500 llath, an old sign in Ireland said 500 slat. Slan means: Health to you. You throw your trash in the container saying: Bruscar. You fly to Ireland with Aer Lingus; in Ireland you travel on Iarnr�d Eireann or Bus Eireann (Irish Rail and Irish Bus), while Bus Atha Cliath covers Dublin and surroundings. The Prime Minister is the Taoiseach and the President is An Uachtarain. The Lower House is the Dail, and there is the Seanad. I know Irish speaking people, or people who are learning it. This language stood at the abyss, but seems to be recovering now. Among the first metric distance signs on small roads I saw in Ireland were those in Irish in the Irish speaking parts of Connemara, also known as a Gaeltacht, like Gaillimh 40 km. Gaillimh is Galway. The first metric signs I ever saw were in Longford, in the early eighties All road signs outside the Gaeltacht areas are bilingual. Ireland was the first ifp country I ever entered; that was in June 1971. Coinage had just been decimalized, but Imperial still reigned supreme.
PS: a new Road Traffic Act is before the Dail now. I wonder if it also deals with completing the metrication of Irish traffic. Han Historian of Dutch metrication, Nijmegen, The Netherlands Regards Ireland as his second country. ----- Original Message ----- From: kilopascal To: U.S. Metric Association Sent: Friday, 2002-03-22 00:25 Subject: [USMA:18968] Re: Response that irked me 2002-03-21 Exactly what does Sl�n mean? And what language is it and the other phrase below in? John ----- Original Message ----- From: John Woelflein To: U.S. Metric Association Sent: Tuesday, 2002-03-19 15:27 Subject: [USMA:18910] Response that irked me <snip> Sl�n, John Is � do mhac do mhac go bp�sann s� ach is � d'in�on go bhfaighidh t� b�s. Your son is your son until he marries, but your daughter is your daughter until you die.
