In reply to:

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.)

Thanks, of troy. I had long known of "uisge" and its parallel in Scandanavian, but I did not know that aquavit and vodka were both derived from "uisge" Those drunken Celts and Picts sure got around!