More Pagan Stuff to Ban
This began as a comment I posted at Pam's House Blend:
While the wingnuts are busy banning Harry Potter and other pagan things, they might want to consider dropping use of the names of the days of the week (from pagan gods) and months of the year (from pagan gods, festivals and emperors).
DAYS OF THE WEEK
Unless Noted Otherwise, These Definitions are from WordIQ.com and Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
Sunday : \Sun"day\, n. [AS. sunnand[ae]g; sunne, gen. sunnan, the sun _ d[ae]g day; akin to D. zondag, G. sonntag; -- so called because this day was anciently dedicated to the sun, or to its worship. See Sun, and Day.] The first day of the week, -- consecrated among Christians to rest from secular employments, and to religious worship; the Christian Sabbath; the Lord's Day.
Monday : \Mon"day\ (m[u^]n"d[asl]; 48), n. [OE. moneday, monenday, AS. m[=o]nand[ae]g, i.e., day of the moon, day sacred to the moon; akin to D. maandag, G. montag, OHG. m[=a]natag, Icel. m[=a]nadagr, Dan. mandag, Sw. m[*a]ndag. See Moon, and Day.] The second day of the week; the day following Sunday.
Tuesday : \Tues"day\ (t[=u]z"d[asl]; 48), n. [OE. Tewesday, AS. Tiwes d[ae]g the day of Tiw the god of war; akin to OHG. Zio, Icel. T[=y]r, L. Jupiter, Gr. Zey`s;, cf. OHG. Ziostac Tuesday, G. Dienstag, Icel. T[=y]sdagr. [root]244. See Deity, Day, and cf. Jovial.] The third day of the week, following Monday and preceding Wednesday.
Wednesday : \Wednes"day\ (?; 48), n. [OE. wednesdai, wodnesdei, AS. W[=o]dnes d[ae]g, i. e., Woden's day (a translation of L. dies Mercurii); fr. W[=o]den the highest god of the Teutonic peoples, but identified with the Roman god Mercury; akin to OS. W[=o]dan, OHG. Wuotan, Icel. O[eth]inn, D. woensdag Wednesday, Icel. [=o][eth]insdagr, Dan. & Sw. onsdag. See Day, and cf. Woden, Wood, a.] The fourth day of the week; the next day after Tuesday.
Thursday : \Thurs"day\, n. [OE. [thorn]ursdei, [thorn]orsday, from the Scand. name Thor _ E. day. Icel. [thorn][=o]rr Thor, the god of thunder, is akin to AS. [thorn]unor thunder; D. Donderdag Thursday, G. Donnerstag, Icel. [thorn][=o]rsdagr, Sw. & Dan. Torsdag. [root]52. See Thor, Thunder, and Day.] The fifth day of the week, following Wednesday and preceding Friday.
Friday : \Fri"day\, n. [AS. friged[ae]g, fr. Frigu, the goddess of marriage; friqu love _ d[ae]g day; cf. Icel. Frigg name of a goddess, the wife of Odin or Wodan, OHG. Fr[=i]atag, Icel. Frj[=a]dagr. AS. frigu is prob. from the root of E. friend, free. See Free, and Day.] The sixth day of the week, following Thursday and preceding Saturday.
Saturday : \Sat"ur*day\ (?; 48), n. [OE. Saterday, AS. S[ae]terd[ae]g, S[ae]ternd[ae]g, S[ae]ternesd[ae]g, literally, Saturn's day, fr. L. Saturnus Saturn _ AS. d[ae]g day; cf. L. dies Saturni.] The seventh or last day of the week; the day following Friday and preceding Sunday. WIKIPEDIA: Saturday is the day of the week between Friday and Sunday. Its name is unique among the names of days, in that it is derived from the Roman god Saturn, while the other six names are derived from Saxon gods.
See also http://webexhibits.org/calendars/week.html#DaysOfTheWeek
MONTHS OF THE YEAR
Unless Noted Otherwise, These Definitions are from WordIQ.com and the Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
January : \Jan"u*a*ry\, n. [L. Januarius, fr. Janus an old Latin deity, the god of the sun and the year, to whom the month of January was sacred; cf. janua a door, Skr. y[=a] to go.] The first month of the year, containing thirty-one days.
February : \Feb"ru*a*ry\, n. [L. Februarius, orig., the month of expiation, because on the fifteenth of this month the great feast of expiation and purification was held, fr. februa, pl., the Roman festival or purification; akin to februare to purify, expiate.] The second month in the year, said to have been introduced into the Roman calendar by Numa. In common years this month contains twenty-eight days; in the bissextile, or leap year, it has twenty-nine days.
March : \March\, n. [L. Martius mensis Mars'month fr. Martius belonging to Mars, the god of war: cf. F. mars. Cf. Martial.] The third month of the year, containing thirty-one days.
April : \A"pril\, n. [L. Aprilis. OE. also Averil, F. Avril, fr. L. Aprilis.] 1. The fourth month of the year. WIKIPEDIA: The name is derived from the Latin aprilis, either from the Latin word aperire which means "to open", probably referring to the "opening of the light in the days, and of the life of the leaves, and of the voices of the birds, and of the hearts of men", or from the Etruscan name Apru for Aphrodite.
From answers.com:
May(mā) pronunciation n. The fifth month of the year in the Gregorian calendar. [Middle English, from Old French Mai, from Latin Māius (mēnsis), (the month) of Maia, from Māia, an Italic goddess.]
From answers.com:
June (jūn) pronunciation n. (Abbr. Jun.): The sixth month of the year in the Gregorian calendar. [Middle English, from Old English Junius and from Old French juin, both from Latin (mēnsis) Iūnius, (month) of June, from Iūnō, Juno. See Juno.] Ju·no (jū'nō) pronunciation n. Roman Mythology. The principal goddess of the pantheon and the wife of Jupiter, worshiped as the goddess of women, marriage, childbirth and the moon, and as the protector of the state. She came to be identified with the Greek Hera. [Latin Iūnō, from iuvenis, young (probably from her association with the new moon).]
From answers.com:
Ju·ly (jʊ-lī') pronunciation n. (Abbr. Jul.) The seventh month of the year in the Gregorian calendar. [Middle English Julie, from Old North French, from Latin Iūlius, after Iūlius Caesar, Julius Caesar.]
August is the eighth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. August starts in Leo and ends in Virgo. In the wheel of the year August begins at or near Imbolc in the southern hemisphere and a few days before the midpoint between winter solstice and spring equinox. In the northern hemisphere it has a corresponding position with respect to Lughnasadh, between summer solstice and spring equinox. August was named in honor of Augustus Caesar. The month reputedly has 31 days because Augustus wanted as many days as Julius Caesar's July. Augustus placed the month where it is because that's when Cleopatra died. Before Augustus renamed August, it was called Sextilis in Latin, since it was the sixth month in the Roman calendar which started in March.
From answers.com:
Sep·tem·ber (sĕp-tĕm'bər) pronunciation
n. (Abbr. Sept.): The ninth month of the year in the Gregorian calendar. [Middle English Septembre, from Old French, from Latin September, the seventh month, from septem, seven.]
From answers.com:
Oc·to·ber (ŏk-tō'bər) pronunciation. The tenth month of the year in the Gregorian calendar. [Middle English Octobre, from Old French and from Old English October, both from Latin Octōber, eighth month, from octō, eight.]
From answers.com:
No·vem·ber (nō-vĕm'bər) pronunciation n. (Abbr. Nov.): The 11th month of the year in the Gregorian calendar. [Middle English Novembre, from Old French, from Latin November, ninth month, from novem, nine.]
From answers.com:
De·cem·ber (dĭ-sĕm'bər) pronunciation
n. (Abbr. Dec.): The 12th month of the year in the Gregorian calendar. [Middle English decembre, from Old French, from Latin December, the tenth month of the Roman year, probably from *decemmembris, from *decem-mēnsris : decem, ten + mēnsis, month; see menses.]
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While the wingnuts are busy banning Harry Potter and other pagan things, they might want to consider dropping use of the names of the days of the week (from pagan gods) and months of the year (from pagan gods, festivals and emperors).
DAYS OF THE WEEK
Unless Noted Otherwise, These Definitions are from WordIQ.com and Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
Sunday : \Sun"day\, n. [AS. sunnand[ae]g; sunne, gen. sunnan, the sun _ d[ae]g day; akin to D. zondag, G. sonntag; -- so called because this day was anciently dedicated to the sun, or to its worship. See Sun, and Day.] The first day of the week, -- consecrated among Christians to rest from secular employments, and to religious worship; the Christian Sabbath; the Lord's Day.
Monday : \Mon"day\ (m[u^]n"d[asl]; 48), n. [OE. moneday, monenday, AS. m[=o]nand[ae]g, i.e., day of the moon, day sacred to the moon; akin to D. maandag, G. montag, OHG. m[=a]natag, Icel. m[=a]nadagr, Dan. mandag, Sw. m[*a]ndag. See Moon, and Day.] The second day of the week; the day following Sunday.
Tuesday : \Tues"day\ (t[=u]z"d[asl]; 48), n. [OE. Tewesday, AS. Tiwes d[ae]g the day of Tiw the god of war; akin to OHG. Zio, Icel. T[=y]r, L. Jupiter, Gr. Zey`s;, cf. OHG. Ziostac Tuesday, G. Dienstag, Icel. T[=y]sdagr. [root]244. See Deity, Day, and cf. Jovial.] The third day of the week, following Monday and preceding Wednesday.
Wednesday : \Wednes"day\ (?; 48), n. [OE. wednesdai, wodnesdei, AS. W[=o]dnes d[ae]g, i. e., Woden's day (a translation of L. dies Mercurii); fr. W[=o]den the highest god of the Teutonic peoples, but identified with the Roman god Mercury; akin to OS. W[=o]dan, OHG. Wuotan, Icel. O[eth]inn, D. woensdag Wednesday, Icel. [=o][eth]insdagr, Dan. & Sw. onsdag. See Day, and cf. Woden, Wood, a.] The fourth day of the week; the next day after Tuesday.
Thursday : \Thurs"day\, n. [OE. [thorn]ursdei, [thorn]orsday, from the Scand. name Thor _ E. day. Icel. [thorn][=o]rr Thor, the god of thunder, is akin to AS. [thorn]unor thunder; D. Donderdag Thursday, G. Donnerstag, Icel. [thorn][=o]rsdagr, Sw. & Dan. Torsdag. [root]52. See Thor, Thunder, and Day.] The fifth day of the week, following Wednesday and preceding Friday.
Friday : \Fri"day\, n. [AS. friged[ae]g, fr. Frigu, the goddess of marriage; friqu love _ d[ae]g day; cf. Icel. Frigg name of a goddess, the wife of Odin or Wodan, OHG. Fr[=i]atag, Icel. Frj[=a]dagr. AS. frigu is prob. from the root of E. friend, free. See Free, and Day.] The sixth day of the week, following Thursday and preceding Saturday.
Saturday : \Sat"ur*day\ (?; 48), n. [OE. Saterday, AS. S[ae]terd[ae]g, S[ae]ternd[ae]g, S[ae]ternesd[ae]g, literally, Saturn's day, fr. L. Saturnus Saturn _ AS. d[ae]g day; cf. L. dies Saturni.] The seventh or last day of the week; the day following Friday and preceding Sunday. WIKIPEDIA: Saturday is the day of the week between Friday and Sunday. Its name is unique among the names of days, in that it is derived from the Roman god Saturn, while the other six names are derived from Saxon gods.
See also http://webexhibits.org/calendars/week.html#DaysOfTheWeek
MONTHS OF THE YEAR
Unless Noted Otherwise, These Definitions are from WordIQ.com and the Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
January : \Jan"u*a*ry\, n. [L. Januarius, fr. Janus an old Latin deity, the god of the sun and the year, to whom the month of January was sacred; cf. janua a door, Skr. y[=a] to go.] The first month of the year, containing thirty-one days.
February : \Feb"ru*a*ry\, n. [L. Februarius, orig., the month of expiation, because on the fifteenth of this month the great feast of expiation and purification was held, fr. februa, pl., the Roman festival or purification; akin to februare to purify, expiate.] The second month in the year, said to have been introduced into the Roman calendar by Numa. In common years this month contains twenty-eight days; in the bissextile, or leap year, it has twenty-nine days.
March : \March\, n. [L. Martius mensis Mars'month fr. Martius belonging to Mars, the god of war: cf. F. mars. Cf. Martial.] The third month of the year, containing thirty-one days.
April : \A"pril\, n. [L. Aprilis. OE. also Averil, F. Avril, fr. L. Aprilis.] 1. The fourth month of the year. WIKIPEDIA: The name is derived from the Latin aprilis, either from the Latin word aperire which means "to open", probably referring to the "opening of the light in the days, and of the life of the leaves, and of the voices of the birds, and of the hearts of men", or from the Etruscan name Apru for Aphrodite.
From answers.com:
May(mā) pronunciation n. The fifth month of the year in the Gregorian calendar. [Middle English, from Old French Mai, from Latin Māius (mēnsis), (the month) of Maia, from Māia, an Italic goddess.]
From answers.com:
June (jūn) pronunciation n. (Abbr. Jun.): The sixth month of the year in the Gregorian calendar. [Middle English, from Old English Junius and from Old French juin, both from Latin (mēnsis) Iūnius, (month) of June, from Iūnō, Juno. See Juno.] Ju·no (jū'nō) pronunciation n. Roman Mythology. The principal goddess of the pantheon and the wife of Jupiter, worshiped as the goddess of women, marriage, childbirth and the moon, and as the protector of the state. She came to be identified with the Greek Hera. [Latin Iūnō, from iuvenis, young (probably from her association with the new moon).]
From answers.com:
Ju·ly (jʊ-lī') pronunciation n. (Abbr. Jul.) The seventh month of the year in the Gregorian calendar. [Middle English Julie, from Old North French, from Latin Iūlius, after Iūlius Caesar, Julius Caesar.]
August is the eighth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. August starts in Leo and ends in Virgo. In the wheel of the year August begins at or near Imbolc in the southern hemisphere and a few days before the midpoint between winter solstice and spring equinox. In the northern hemisphere it has a corresponding position with respect to Lughnasadh, between summer solstice and spring equinox. August was named in honor of Augustus Caesar. The month reputedly has 31 days because Augustus wanted as many days as Julius Caesar's July. Augustus placed the month where it is because that's when Cleopatra died. Before Augustus renamed August, it was called Sextilis in Latin, since it was the sixth month in the Roman calendar which started in March.
From answers.com:
Sep·tem·ber (sĕp-tĕm'bər) pronunciation
n. (Abbr. Sept.): The ninth month of the year in the Gregorian calendar. [Middle English Septembre, from Old French, from Latin September, the seventh month, from septem, seven.]
From answers.com:
Oc·to·ber (ŏk-tō'bər) pronunciation. The tenth month of the year in the Gregorian calendar. [Middle English Octobre, from Old French and from Old English October, both from Latin Octōber, eighth month, from octō, eight.]
From answers.com:
No·vem·ber (nō-vĕm'bər) pronunciation n. (Abbr. Nov.): The 11th month of the year in the Gregorian calendar. [Middle English Novembre, from Old French, from Latin November, ninth month, from novem, nine.]
From answers.com:
De·cem·ber (dĭ-sĕm'bər) pronunciation
n. (Abbr. Dec.): The 12th month of the year in the Gregorian calendar. [Middle English decembre, from Old French, from Latin December, the tenth month of the Roman year, probably from *decemmembris, from *decem-mēnsris : decem, ten + mēnsis, month; see menses.]
