www.alphadictionary.com

• shebeen •

Pronunciation: shi-been • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Noun

Meaning: 1. An unlicensed drinking establishment, often a ramshackle shack, especially in Scotland, Ireland, and South Africa. 2. A drinking party in the same three countries.

Notes: Shebeens range from the trustworthy, serving regular alcoholic drinks on which no tax has been paid, to shabby ones whose customers are served homemade moonshine and don't know what they may be drinking. A person who frequents shebeens is known as a shebeener, and the activity of shebeeners is called shebeening. A woman who runs a shebeen has sometimes been called a shebeen queen.

In Play: The shabby South African shebeens are likely to serve homemade brew called 'mampoer', which is 'as likely to contain battery acid as ethanol', according to today's contributor: "The pub crawlers' visit to the shebeen was an unforgettable experience due to the ensuing week-long hangover." Shebeens in South Africa usually produce a lot of noise: "The party next door was so boisterous into the early hours that I worried they had opened a shebeen."

Word History: Today's word comes from Irish Gaelic séibín "small mug, bottle, bad ale", a diminutive of séibe "mug, bottle". The word immigrated to South African and West Indian English, where it set up shop and has thrived to this day. The ending is Irish -ín as in caubeen (Irish beret) and colleen. It has been conjectured that the word was derived by adding this suffix to Irish siapa "shop"; however, such a derivation is problematic enough to discourage pursuing it. (Today's Good Word comes from our old South African friend Chris Stewart, who was also kind enough to supply the examples above.)

Now that's a really curious one. Good to be
acquainted with words in use in other parts
of the globe and not used locally. Thanks.

Down here it's divided into two words with a variant meaning: "She been out shoppin'."

Yes, that verb is used here in various manners, e.g."I be go'in'".

They don't officially call them shebeens in Kenya, but should you find yourself a tad thirsty there, you would be best advised to avoid the local drinking dens - their locally brewed, gang endorsed 'changaa' is noted to contain battery acid, rat feces, jet fuel or embalming fluid, to add that little kick, amongst other things. The translation of changaa is 'kill-me-quick' - at least they are up front.

Kenya is off my 'bucket list'. thanks.

Well, let's be fair, their Tusker beer is really good, and you are unlikely to encounter many changaa drinking dens if you visit the Masai Mara, or Lamu or Wasini Island, all three of which I would highly recommend, depending on your preferences, for safari or paradise like islands. Not cheap mind you and of course there is a non-zero risk of encountering those troublesome Al Shabab types on the coast, but a great trip if you like an adventure.

Got a missionary friend, semi-retired, who owns a place in Kenya and thinks of it as home. Spends about half his time here and half there lately. Has had all sorts of animals wander in his yard, including lions, but doesn't seem more worried than we do about coyotes or snakes.


Any relation between shebeen and the whole shebang?