History of Weekdays: Anglo-Saxon Version

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Discussion Overview

The discussion explores the historical and etymological origins of the names of the weekdays across various languages and cultures, including Anglo-Saxon, French, Polish, Hebrew, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Spanish, and others. Participants share insights into how these names reflect cultural influences and linguistic evolution.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants describe the Anglo-Saxon names for the weekdays, noting their connections to celestial bodies and Norse mythology.
  • Others provide examples from French, highlighting the Latin roots of the weekday names.
  • Polish weekday names are discussed, with emphasis on their meanings related to order and work cessation.
  • A participant mentions the Hebrew names for the days, which are primarily numerical.
  • Chinese weekday names are noted for their unique structure, referring to "star periods."
  • Japanese and Korean names are said to have been influenced by Western nomenclature, with specific elements borrowed from Chinese.
  • Scandinavian names for Saturday are highlighted, with one participant noting its meaning as "bath-day."
  • Old English names for the weekdays are presented, showing their historical roots.
  • Discussion includes the existence of Frisian language names for the weekdays, indicating regional variations.
  • Participants mention Haitian Creole names for the days, comparing them to French and discussing their origins.
  • Some participants argue about the influence of Sanskrit on the naming traditions of weekdays in various cultures, suggesting a historical borrowing of concepts.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the historical connections and linguistic roots of the weekday names, but multiple competing views exist regarding the influence of different cultures and languages on these names. The discussion remains unresolved on certain etymological claims and the extent of influence among languages.

Contextual Notes

Some claims about the origins and meanings of weekday names depend on historical interpretations and linguistic assumptions that may not be universally accepted. The discussion reflects a variety of cultural perspectives and etymological explanations that may not align perfectly.

  • #31
Borek said:
S: Niedziela - Sunday is a day when you don't work, you don't have to do anything - "nie działać" means "don't act". Sure, "nie działać" is in Polish and word is much older, it is very similar in most Slavic languages, so the original root was present in proto-slavic language and must have been different from contemporary, but the idea was the same.
Russian uses nedlya for week and is otherwise very similar to Polish:
S: voskrisenya - resurrection
M: ponedlya - after no work (sunday)
T: vtronik - dva is 2
W: sreda - middle
Th: chetverk - chetery is 4
F: pyatsnitsa - pyats is 5
Sat: subota - sabbath
src
 
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  • #32
story645 said:
Russian uses nedlya for week and is otherwise very similar to Polish:
S: voskrisenya - resurrection
M: ponedlya - after no work (sunday)
T: vtronik - dva is 2
W: sreda - middle
Th: chetverk - chetery is 4
F: pyatsnitsa - pyats is 5
Sat: subota - sabbath

I know enough Russian to confirm. But the way days are written in English makes my eyes watering.
 
  • #33
Borek said:
I know enough Russian to confirm. But the way days are written in English makes my eyes watering.

Russian Weekdays

Sunday - воскресенье (vos-kre-senye)
Monday - понедельник (po-ne-del-neek)
Tuesday - вторник (vtor-neek) - although dva is 2. I think this word probably stems from the form второй (vto-roy) which means 'second' (like first, second etc. not the unit of time).
Wednesday - среда (sre-da)
Thursday - четверг (chet-verg). Same as tuesday but probably more like четвертый (chet-vyor-tiy) which means 'fourth.'
Friday - пятница (pyat-nee-tsa)
Saturday - суббота (soo-bo-ta)

Better?
 
  • #34
I thought Tsuesday was named after Tsu.

And Moonday was named after Moonbear.

If not, then they should be. We should have a day named after each of the PF sisters.
 
  • #35
Borek said:
I know enough Russian to confirm. But the way days are written in English makes my eyes watering.
:( Sorry my transliteration skills are so lousy.

Thanks Yanick!
 
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  • #36
Yanick said:
Better?

Much better :smile:
 
  • #37
Ok...

How about the Entomology of weekdays?

Sunday (Scorpionfly Sunday) = [PLAIN]http://insects.tamu.edu/images/animalia/arthropoda/insecta/mecoptera/panorpidae/panorpa_nuptialis_adult_lateral_m_02.jpg

Monday (Moth Monday) = [URL]http://www.naturephoto-cz.com/photos/others/emperor-moth-22235.jpg[/URL]

Tuesday (Tick Tuesday) = [PLAIN]http://www.sierrapotomac.org/W_Needham/Pictures/Wood_Tick_040307.jpg

Wednesday (Wasp Wednesday) = [URL]http://www.naturfoto-cz.de/photos/krasensky/wasp-0071.jpg[/URL]

Thursday (Thrip Thursday) = [PLAIN]http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/images/Biosecurity_GeneralPlantHealthPestsDiseaseAndWeeds/Sunflower-Thrips-500.jpg

Friday (Flea Friday) = [URL]http://hardinmd.lib.uiowa.edu/pictures22/flea.jpg[/URL]

Saturday (Silverfish Saturday) = [PLAIN]http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/housingandclothing/images/DK1018_1.jpg
 
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  • #38
That's totally awesome.
 
  • #39
nismaratwork said:
Ok...

How about the Entomology of weekdays?

Sunday (Scorpionfly Sunday) = [PLAIN]http://insects.tamu.edu/images/animalia/arthropoda/insecta/mecoptera/panorpidae/panorpa_nuptialis_adult_lateral_m_02.jpg

Neat picture. What's extra weird is that what looks to the stinger, is actually the male genitalia (at least according to wikipedia). CRAZY.

Kinda offtopic, but I found it funny.
 
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  • #40
I was feeling punnish. :-pNorman: You're right and wrong... in a male it's genitalia, and in a queen it's an ovipositor. However, in an infertile female (akin to a drone bee) it's a modified ovipositor we call a stinger. I believe the evolution from ovipositor to stinger is fairly well established from wasps through ants (their descendants).

I will say this however... the term "scorpion bug" is a catch-all for a family of insects, some of which do NOT have a sting, but are grouped by the obvious morphology. It may be the picture I used is of a stingless specimen.
 
  • #41
BobG said:
I thought Tsuesday was named after Tsu.

And Moonday was named after Moonbear.

If not, then they should be. We should have a day named after each of the PF sisters.

I guess Everyday for Evo? :biggrin:
 
  • #42
And then there are weeks that don't have 7 days. I can't even find the concept of week for most American Indian tribes, they just used a lunar calandar with ceremonial days.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Week
 
  • #43
drizzle said:
I guess Everyday for Evo? :biggrin:
<sticks more GOOBF cards into Drizzle's computer for thinking of poor old Evo>
 
  • #44
Evo said:
And then there are weeks that don't have 7 days. I can't even find the concept of week for most American Indian tribes, they just used a lunar calandar with ceremonial days.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Week

Yep, and before the Greek week (rimshot), you had Proto-Phoenician, which came from Egyptian... and that was a 10 day week. Really, you have to appreciate the Hebrew and Gregorian calenders.