One of the newer additions on the blog-roll is the "Beer and Whiskey Bros" blog, for reasons that should be immediately... if not sooner... apparent. So... I was reading this post this weekend and put my suggestion in the comments, for what that's worth, and it ain't worth a whole helluva lot. But their point is well-taken: we, as Americans, don't have a "national toast," and I think we should. My suggestion:
Ahem. “F*ck Yeah!” should be the official toast, with or without the preceding “America!” Using “America” would depend on the circumstances, of course.
That said, I almost always use the British "Cheers" when clinking glasses with friends and fam'bly (coz I'm an Anglophile of the highest order). I've NEVER used the Irish "Slainte," nor has "à votre santé" ever crossed my lips. Same thang for "Prosit!", but I will admit to using "Kampai!" and "Salud!" on occasion, mostly depending on present company, especially in the way-back when we lived in Nippon.
And you, Gentle Reader? How do you toast? Further... do you have a suggestion for a typically AMERICAN toast?
Wow, head over there to read a bunch of people saying shitty things about America. It's a wonder our national toast isn't "SORRY!"
ReplyDeleteI can't see "cheers" as British. Oh, I know it is British, but it has been so ubiquitous for so long that it seems universal. I grew up with it just like everyone else, and had no idea that it came from England. I still don't think of England when I hear it - at least in reference to toasting a round of drinks. When people sign their emails with it or just use it in casual conversation, it makes me want to wretch. Unless, of course, they're British.
Yeah, that stuff at the linked post irritated the HELL outta me. As for "Cheers!"... I never realized it was British either, until I got stationed in Ol' Blighty.
Delete"This wine sucks, but it's all we can afford."
ReplyDeleteIzzat the BEST ya can do? I was hopin' for sumthin' coon-ass like, yanno?
DeleteMost coonass toasts have something to do with telling an infant to drink all the beer in his baby bottle.
ReplyDeleteOr, "Drink up ma soeur...the night is young!"
"Here's to the ships of our Navy,
ReplyDeleteAnd the Women of this land...
May the First be well rigged;
And the Latter Well Manned!"
Better than most.
DeletePretty damned good, Barco.
DeleteMostly we say salud or prosit, although I may have been mispronouncing the latter. But when our old buddies get together:
ReplyDeleteHere's to you
And here's to me
May we never disagree
But if we do
Here's to me
And piss on you.
I like Barco's toast, too.
Heh.
DeleteLove it, Lou!
ReplyDeletePlease don't hold it against me if I don't credit you for learnin' it at me!
"To Fallen Comrades"
ReplyDelete'Nuff said. (Hhhm, what would the civilians say? Ah, who cares?)
I've always been partial to the all-purpose:
ReplyDelete"Here's to you as good as you are and as bad as I am.
But as bad as I am, and as good as you are,
I'm as good as you are, as bad as I am.."
First time I've heard that one. I like it.
DeleteReprobates like us would like it, wouldn't we, Buck? :)
DeleteThere is ALWAYS the all purpose "To THe Regiment!"....doesn't matter if you're AF, Navy or a civilian, it just sounds great! (and has a lot of tradition behind it. Saayy...since the Army has done away with the historical Regimental form of organization in favor of Brigades one can always argue that we're just keeping tradition alive and that if the Army doesn;'t want the regiment any more we'll--i.e.,the nation at-large--simply adopt it for preservations sake, right? lol)
ReplyDelete"To the Regiment!" sounds pretty British to me, Virgil.
DeleteI'm not sure of the spelling (it's Danish) but I often say "Schlumptawelliger!" It's analagous to "Over the lips and through the gums, look out belly, here it comes!" (I think!)
ReplyDeleteI'll take yer word for it. Google was stumped.
DeleteOnce upon a time, in a former life, "na zdrowie" was the term used.
ReplyDeleteBack in my early, single days, it was, "Pog Mo Thoin," even after I learned what it means.
I'm glad Google is my friend... I learned sumthin' new today. ;-)
Delete...and then there's this.
ReplyDeleteI found it almost two years ago by accident... really.
I'm not a Giants fan but I liked THAT!
DeleteMy closest circle of friends are of a certain age to have studied M*A*S*H.
ReplyDeleteSo, Harry Morgan's character's Colonel Potter: "Here's to looking up your old address!" gets a chuckle every time. I think it means, "Here's to memories, good and bad."
That, or "Fig Newtons and Scotch-- the breakfast of champions. They're great if you dunk 'em."
I'll have t'go with your interpretation of Potter's toast, Bob. I have no ideer, otherwise.
DeleteThe fig newtons and scotch thang sounds really interesting! I might have to give that a go. ;-)