Max Quordlepleen states
I suspect that vodka is a transliteration from the Cyrillic alphabet

vodka is from the Russian word for water (voda) and is, I have read, shortened for Russian water of life– similar to aqua vita term used in Scandinavia. Both are a transliteration of Whiskey (uisge beatha–the Gaelic for water of life.)

Well that is a translation, since beatha has is its roots in the word for navel– and mean birth or beginning. And the Gaelic meaning is closer to constantly re-born. What in English would be a gerund– an continues state of being born.

It shows up again in the Erin go bragh (Ireland forever)


my other obsession