The early Germanic calendars were the regional calendars used among the early Germanic peoples before they adopted the Julian calendar in the Early Middle Ages. The calendars were an element of early Germanic culture.
Common Germanic
editContrary to the Romans, who reckoned the passing of time by days, early Germanic tribes counted them by nights, basing themselves on the state of the moon. This is evidenced by a testimony from Tacitus in Germania and by linguistic survivals such as the English fortnight and German Weihnachten.[1]
The Germani adopted the method of counting by days and the idea of the seven-day week from the Romans, probably due to early legal, military and trading contacts: "payment or delivery had to be made by a certain day, fines or taxes were to be met by a fixed time limit".[1]
"Gothic seems to have been exposed to early influence of the Greek Church in its terminology."[1]
The lunisolar calendar is reflected in the Proto-Germanic term for 'month', *mēnōþz, which is related to the word for 'moon', *mēnōn or *mēnan.[2][3]
Lexicon
editProto-Germanic | Modern English | Old English | Old Frisian | Old Saxon | Old/Middle Dutch | Old High German | Old Norse | Gothic | Notes | References | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
*jēran | year | gear | jēr | jār | jār | jār | ár | jēr | From the PIE root *ieh₁r- ('year, season'). | [4][5] OED 'year' | ||
*mēnōþz | month | monað | mōnath | mānuth | maent | mānōd | mánuðr | menoþs | A uniquely Germanic t-stem related to PGmc *mēnon ('moon'), and corresponding to the PIE s-stem *meh₁n-os ('moon; month'). | [2][3] OED 'month', GAO 'Monate' | ||
*wikōn | week | wice | wike | -wika | weke | wehha | vika | wiko | From PGmc *wīk(w)anan ('to turn away, give way'), or from PGmc *wikō(ja)nan ('to shift'). | [6][5] OED 'week' | ||
*dagaz | day | dæg | deg- | dag | dach | tag | dagr | dags | From an earlier *dʰoǵʰos, from PIE *dʰegʷʰ- ('to burn'). | [7][8] OED 'day' | ||
*dōg(er)az | a full day | dōgor | – | – | – | – | dœgr | (fidur-)dogs? | From PGmc *dagaz. | [9][10] | ||
*nahtz | night | næht | nacht | naht | nacht | naht | nátt | nahts | From the PIE root *nekʷt- ('night') | [11][12] OED 'night' | ||
*tīdiz | time (period of) | tīd | tīd | tīd | tīd | zīt | tíð | – | From an earlier *dh₂i-tí-, from the PIE root *dh₂-ei- ('to divide'). | [13][14] OED 'tide' | ||
*tīmōn | time (period of) | tīma | – | – | – | (Alem. zīmə) | tími | – | From an earlier *dh₂i-mon-, built on the same PIE root as *tīdiz but with a different suffix. | [15][16] OED 'time' | ||
*wentruz | Winter | winter | winter | wintar | winter | wintar | vetr | wintrus | Uncertain etymology. | [17][18] OED 'winter' | ||
*wēran (~ wazra-) | Spring1 | – | wars | – | – | – | vár | – | From PIE *uósr- ('Spring'). | [19][20] | ||
*langatīnaz | Spring2 | lencten | – | lenten | lentin- | lenzin- | – | – | PGmc *langa- ('long) + an unclear suffix (probably a Germanic base with the sense 'day'; cf. Goth. sin-teins 'daily', sin-teino 'always') | [15] OED 'lenten' | ||
*sumaraz | Summer | sumer | sumur | sumar | sōmer | sumar | sumarr | – | From an earlier *smH-oros, from the PIE root *s(e)mH- ('half year, season'). | [21][22] OED 'summer' | ||
*harƀistaz | Autumn | hærfest | herfst | hervest (MLG) | herfst | herbist | haust | – | From PGmc *harbjanan ('to pluck, harvest'), itself from the PIE root *kerp-, which has the same meaning. | [23][24] OED 'harvest' |
Days and weeks
editIn most cases the Germanic names have substituted for the Roman god's name that of a comparable one from the Germanic pantheon, except in the case of Saturday, where the Roman name was retained and borrowed.
Day | Deity | Latin | Modern English | Old English | Old Frisian | Middle Dutch | Middle Low German | Old High German | Old Norse | References | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
*Sunnandag | *Sunnōn | dies Solis | Sunday | Sunnandæg | Sunnandei | Sonnendach | Sunnendach | Sunnūntag | Sunnudagr | [25] OED | ||
*Mēnandag | *Mēnōn | dies Lunae | Monday | Mōnandæg | Mōnandei | Mānendach | Mānendach | Mānetag | Mánadagr | [26] OED | ||
*Tīwasdag | *Tīwaz | dies Martis | Tuesday | Tīwesdæg | Tīesdei | Dinxendach | Dingesdach | Ziestag | Týsdagr | [27][28][29] OED | ||
*Wōdanesdag | *Wōđanaz | dies Mercurii | Wednesday | Wōdnesdæg | Wērnisdei | Woensdach | Wōdensdach | Wōdanstag | Óðinsdagr | [30][31] OED | ||
*Þonaresdag | *Þunraz | dies Iovis | Thursday | Þunresdæg | Thunresdei | Donresdach | – | Donarestag | Þórsdagr | [32][33] OED | ||
*Frijjadag | *Frijjō | dies Veneris | Friday | Frīgedæg | Frīadei | Vriendach | Vrīdach | Frīatag | Frjádagr | [34][35] OED | ||
*Saturnasdag | – | dies Saturni | Saturday | Sæter(nes)dæg | Sāterdei | Saterdach | Sātersdach | – | Laugardagr | [36] OED |
Months
editSeveral Proto-Germanic months can be reconstructed:
Month | Julian equivalent | Root | West Germanic | Old Norse | Gothic | References |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
*jēra-mēnōþz | ≈ January | *jēran ('year') | jār-mānōd (OHG) | ár-mánaðr | – | [37] |
*harƀistu-mēnōþz | ≈ September | *harƀistaz ('autumn') | hærfest-mōnað (OE); herbistmanoth (Frank.); herbist-mānōd (OHG) | haust-mánuðr | – | [38] |
*jehwla-mēnōþz, *jehwlaz | ≈ December | *jehwlan ('Yule') | gēol-mōnað, gīuli (OE) | jól-mánuðr, ýlir | jiuleis | [39][37] |
North Germanic
editOld Norse | Icelandic | Norwegian | Danish | Julian equivalent | References | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Þorri | Þorri | Gjødsletid | Glugmåned | January | ||||
Gói | Góa | Kvinnfolk | Blidemåned | February | ||||
Einmánuðr | Einmánuður | Mannfolk | Tordmåned | March | ||||
Gaukmánuðr, Sáðtið | Harpa | Gjøkmåned | Fåremåned | April | ||||
Eggtið, Stekktið | Skerpla | Egg, Lam | Vårmåned | May | ||||
Sólmánuðr, Selmánuðr | Sólmánuður | Den varme | Skærsommer | June | ||||
Heyannir, Miðsumar | Heyannir | Ormemåned | Ormemåned | July | ||||
Tvímánuðr, Kornskurðarmánuðr | Tvímánuður | Dobbelmåned | Høstmåned | August | ||||
Haustmánuðr | Haustmánuður | Høstmåned | Fiskemåned | September | ||||
Gormánuðr | Gormánuður | Slaktemåned | Sædemåned | October | ||||
Ýlir, Frermánuðr | Ýlir | Julemåned | Slagtemåned | November | ||||
Jólmánuðr, Mörsugr, Hrútmánuðr | Mörsugur | Margsuger, Fettsuger | Julemåned | December |
West Germanic
editJulian equivalent | Anglo-Saxon | West Saxon | Old Frankish | Old Dutch | OHG | References | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
January | Giuli | Æfterra Geola | Later Yule | Wintarmanoth | Wintarmānōth | Wintarmānōd | Winter-month | |||
February | Solmonath | Solmonað | Sol-month | Hornung | Horningmānōth | Hornung | Bastard? | |||
March | Hredmonath | Hreðmonað | Hreth-month | Lenzinmanoth | Lentinmānōth | Lenzinmānōd | Spring-month | |||
April | Eosturmonath | Eastermonað | Easter-month | Ostarmanoth | Ōstermānōth | Ōstarmānōd | Easter-month | |||
May | Thrimilchi | Ðrimilce | three-milkings | Winnemanoth | Winnemānōth | Winnimānōd | Pasture-month | |||
June | Lida | Ærra Liða | Earlier Litha | Brachmanoth | Brākmānōth | Brāhmānōd | Plough-month | |||
July | Lida | Æfterra Liða | Later Litha | Hewimanoth | Houwimānōth | Hewimānōd | Hay-month | |||
August | Weodmonath | Weodmonað | Weed-month | Aranmanoth | Aranmānōth | Aranmānōd | Harvest-month | |||
September | Halegmonath | Haligmonað | Holy-month | Witumanoth | Widumānōth | Witumānōd | Wood-month | |||
October | Winterfilleth | Winterfylleð | Winter-full-moon | Windumemanoth | Wīnthumemānōth | Windumemānōd | Wine-month | |||
November | Blodmonath | Blotmonað | Blood-month | Herbistmanoth | Hervistmānoth | Herbistmānōd | Autumn-month | |||
December | Giuli | Ærra Geola | Earlier Yule | Heilagmanoth | Heilmānōth | Hartimānōd | Holy-month/Hard-month |
>>>> Austro-mēnōþz (Easter-month), Hailaga-mēnōþz (Holy-month)
See also
editNotes and citations
edit- ^ a b c Green 2000, p. 236.
- ^ a b Orel 2003, p. 270.
- ^ a b Kroonen 2013, p. 365.
- ^ Orel 2003, p. 206.
- ^ a b Kroonen 2013, p. 586.
- ^ Orel 2003, p. 462.
- ^ Orel 2003, p. 66.
- ^ Kroonen 2013, pp. 86–87.
- ^ Orel 2003, p. 73.
- ^ Kroonen 2013, p. 97.
- ^ Orel 2003, p. 279.
- ^ Kroonen 2013, p. 381.
- ^ Orel 2003, p. 407.
- ^ Kroonen 2013, p. 516.
- ^ a b Orel 2003, p. 408.
- ^ Kroonen 2013, p. 517.
- ^ Orel 2003, p. 455.
- ^ Kroonen 2013, p. 588.
- ^ Orel 2003, p. 461.
- ^ Kroonen 2013, p. 575.
- ^ Orel 2003, p. 386.
- ^ Kroonen 2013, pp. 491–492.
- ^ Orel 2003, p. 160.
- ^ Kroonen 2013, p. 210.
- ^ de Vries 1962, p. 562.
- ^ de Vries 1962, p. 379.
- ^ de Vries 1962, p. 603.
- ^ Simek 1984, p. 413.
- ^ Kroonen 2013, p. 519.
- ^ de Vries 1962, p. 416.
- ^ Simek 1984, p. 298.
- ^ de Vries 1962, p. 618.
- ^ Simek 1984, p. 73.
- ^ de Vries 1962, p. 143.
- ^ Simek 1984, p. 111.
- ^ Sonne 2014, p. 189.
- ^ a b Orel 2003, pp. 205–206.
- ^ Orel 2003, p. 161.
- ^ Lehman 1986, p. 211.
Bibliography
edit- de Vries, Jan (1962). Altnordisches Etymologisches Worterbuch (1977 ed.). Brill. ISBN 978-90-04-05436-3.
- Green, Dennis H. (2000). Language and History in the Early Germanic World. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-79423-7.
- Kroonen, Guus (2013). Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic. Brill. ISBN 9789004183407.
- Orel, Vladimir E. (2003). A Handbook of Germanic Etymology. Brill. ISBN 978-90-04-12875-0.
- Simek, Rudolf (1984). Lexikon der germanischen Mythologie. A. Kröner. ISBN 3-520-36801-3.
- Sonne, Lasse C. A. (2014). "The Origin of the Seven-day Week in Scandinavia: Part 1: The Theophoric Day-names". Viking and Medieval Scandinavia. 10: 187–209. doi:10.1484/J.VMS.5.105218. ISSN 1782-7183.
External links and references
edit- Northvegr article on dating
- Facts and Figures: The Norse Way General information on old Germanic culture, including time.
- (in German) Old High German dictionary, including month names
- (in German) Old Norse dictionary, including month names
- (in German) Old English dictionary, including month names
- Anglo-Saxon month names