| The Moguls did it. So did the Vikings. "A mouth of a | | | | the right! |
| perfectly happy man is filled with beer." After coining | | | | Toasts From Many Lands |
| that phrase, you don't think this anonymous Egyptian | | | | This is just a sampling of simple drinking toasts from |
| from 2200 BC kept it to himself. I can see him raise | | | | around the world. Some are impossible to find in |
| his drinking vessel to his Nile-side neighbors while | | | | language dictionaries as they are colloquial phrases, |
| repeating the words. | | | | slang or in dialect. I apologize in advance for spelling |
| Every country in the world has some sort of | | | | mistakes: I'm no linguist. Meanings have been included |
| traditional drinking toast, often dozens. Usually one or | | | | when I could find them. Fill in the blanks if you can. |
| two words, common toasts are not in the same | | | | Some are just a general 'cheers'. If you were making |
| league with toasts to the bride (which can drone on | | | | a bet on possible translation, you wouldn't lose |
| for hours), or to the retiree who's been with us for | | | | money by suggesting that every one of these |
| 30 years but would rather get to his food while it's | | | | toasts is wishing the recipient continued health and |
| hot. All of these really should be briefer, especially if a | | | | general well being. My spell check is about to go |
| meal is being served. The everyday, no black tie, | | | | wild!za vashe zdorovye (Russian)slainte duine a ol |
| corner pub toasts exist in every culture and the vast | | | | (Irish) to your healthgenatzt (Armenian)a sua saude |
| majority simply mean 'I wish you good health'. Not | | | | (Portuguese) good healtha votre sante (French) to |
| surprisingly it is the English who have strayed from | | | | your healthbanzai (long life) (Japanese)orkanpai (dry |
| the norm. 'Cheers', 'Down the Hatch', 'Bottoms up' | | | | glass!) (Japanese)bud mo (Ukranian)cin cin (chin chin) |
| and many more. I always assumed the latter referred | | | | (cheers) (Italian) oralla salute (in good health) |
| to the bottom of the glass, however the Hawaiians | | | | (Italian)proost (Dutch) cheersvivat (Polish) revival, |
| have taken this literally. 'Okole Maluna' means | | | | survivaltervist (Estonian) general greetingskal (Danish) |
| 'buttocks up'. I am including a list of multi-national | | | | cheershere's looking at you (kid, optional) (American |
| toasts to impress your friends and use as a sign of | | | | Bogart)kia ora (Maori) all purpose |
| respect when in the company of people from | | | | greetingegeszsegedre (Hungarian) to your health |
| different cultures. | | | | Iechyd da (Welsh) good health |
| Here's a bit of etiquette to go with your | | | | I sveikas (Lithuanian) your healthkippis (Finnish) |
| cosmopolitan language skills. It is customary to toast | | | | cheersle'chaim (Jewish) to lifena zdravi (Czech) to |
| the first round, and let the host go first. There is | | | | your healthnoroc (Romanian)prosit (German) here's to |
| some controversy over the clinking of glasses. It is | | | | you (and your health of course)wen lie (Chinese)salud |
| said that the tradition started as a sly way to test | | | | (Spanish)bahkt tu kel (Romany/Gypsy) good luck and |
| the authenticity of the host's crystal. Whether the | | | | health be on you |
| Vikings clinked wooden goblets or not, it is | | | | Here it is folks - oogy wawa (Zulu) |
| considered more civilized to 'touch glasses' rather | | | | (wawa means 'fell', oogy wasn't listed, any ideas?) |
| than bash together in a resounding crash. And while | | | | We should all feel well cheered and healthy after all |
| you're about it, serve on the left and remove from | | | | that! |
