Sasamach

Irish

Etymology

Blend of Sasana (“England”) +‎ amach (“out, away”), formed by analogy with English Brexit and punning on Sasanach (“English”)

Noun

Sasamach m (genitive singular Sasamach)

1. Brexit
   • 2016 June 20, Sarah de Búrca Sasamach - leas nó aibhleas? (Meon Eile, Belfast)

     I gcás Sasamach, mar sin, dá bhfógrofaí maidin Dé Luain go raibh sé i gceist sa chéad dul síos maolú a dhéanamh ar stádas an Bhéarla mar theanga oibre agus díriú ar phríomhtheangacha oifigiúla na mBallstát san Aontas, bhuel, ní fhéadfainn a rá nach gcuirfinn fáilte roimh a leithéid de thoradh. […] Mar gheall ar Sasamach, bheadh sé le maíomh againnne, Gaeil, nach teanga riachtanach an Béarla níos mó.

     In the case of Brexit, therefore, if it were announced on Monday morning that it was intended in the first instance to relax the status of English as a working language and to focus on the main official languages of the Member States of the Union, well, I could not say that I would not welcome such a result. […] Because of Brexit, we Gaels would claim that English is no longer a necessary language.

Usage notes

• Sasamach has attracted publicity because of its clever form, but Breatimeacht is the word usually used in practice for Brexit, and is favoured in official sources (e.g. government, RTÉ).

Synonyms

• Breatimeacht