2007-03-25 23:38:37 · 6 answers · asked by KatherineT 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
It is an anglicised version of the Welsh "iechyd da", which is a toast, meaning "good health" -- "iechyd" meaning "health" and "da" meaning "good". There are two aspects of the pronounciation which make it difficult for the English: the gutteral "ch" and the two "d"s in a row, which have to be pronounced separately.
2007-03-26 01:15:22 · answer #1 · answered by Doethineb 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If I remember rightly, from the early days of Welsh TV, 'yakki dah' means good night' - although the spelling might not be correct. The sign out was : Yakki da y ikiva. 'Good night and sleep well' - it's a long time ago and it could have been 'Ikiva y yakki da - which would mean that yakki da meant 'good night' Or was it 'nosta and ikiva?' - in which case I've no idea what yakki da means. Thankfully, since then the Welsh language has been re-instated.
2007-03-26 00:37:30 · answer #2 · answered by cymry3jones 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
i don`t know but a mate went 2 work in a pit in wales & every day as he walked 2 the pit face he said allright or watchey or howdy but all the miners ignored him.when he went 4 a pint he asked what he should do. a welshman said to say yakki dah.next shift he walked 2 the face and the first man he saw he shouted yakki dah and the man said piss off u welsh bas***d
2007-03-26 01:01:07 · answer #3 · answered by happy chappy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its actually Iechyd Da, but good one cos i looked at it and instantly knew wot u meant!! (it would look great if we actuslly spelt it like that in Welsh and more people would have less trouble tryin to say it!!) It does indeed mean Good Health as the others have said, often said when making a toast or just when you want to wish someone good health really!!
Iechyd Da!!!
2007-03-27 21:06:15 · answer #4 · answered by vickyvixen84 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is actually a representation of what English speakers think they hear when someone says "iechyd da" - which means "Good Health"
2007-03-26 00:49:50 · answer #5 · answered by GrahamH 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It should be 'Iechyd da' which means good health in Welsh.
(Iechyd = health and da = good).
English speakers have trouble with pronouncing the 'ch' sound (as in Loch ) so they use 'k' or 'kk' instead.
2007-03-26 02:27:44 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋