Vocabulary Unit 13

Origin of the days of the week Sunday: The name comes from the Latin dies solis, meaning "sun's day": the name of a pagan Roman holiday. It is also called Dominica (Latin), the Day of God. [French: dimanche; Italian: domenica; Spanish: domingo German: Sonntag;]

Monday: The name comes from the Anglo-Saxon monandaeg, "the moon's day". This second day was sacred to the goddess of the moon. [French: lundi; Italian: lunedi. Spanish: lunes. German: Montag]

Tuesday: This day was named after the Norse god Tyr. The Romans named this day after their war-god Mars: dies Martis. [French: mardi; Italian: martedi; Spanish: martes.]

Wednesday: The day named to honor Wodan (Odin). The Romans called it dies Mercurii, after their god Mercury. [French: mercredi; Italian: mercoledi; Spanish: miércoles. German: Mittwoch]

Thursday: The day named after the Norse god Thor. In the Norse languages this day is called Torsdag. The Romans named this day dies Jovis ("Jove's Day"), after Jove or Jupiter. [French: jeudi; Italian: giovedi; Spanish: jueves.]

Friday: The day in honor of the Norse goddess, Frigg. To the Romans this day was sacred to the goddess Venus, and was known as dies veneris. [French: vendredi; Italian: venerdi; Spanish: viernes. German: Freitag]

Saturday: This day was called dies Saturni, "Saturn's Day", by the ancient Romans in honor of Saturn. In Anglo- Saxon: sater daeg. [French: samedi; Italian: sabato; Spanish: sábado.

Origin of the months of the year January: Named after the Roman god of beginnings and endings Janus (the month Januarius). Janus was the keeper of the gates of heaven. He had two heads, one facing backward to look at the old year and one facing forward to look ahead at the new year.

February: Named for the purification festival, Februa, when Romans prepared for the new year. It was the last month of the Roman year.

March: This is the first month of the Roman year. It is named after the Roman god of war and agriculture, Mars. March is the traditional start of planting time.

April: Called Aprilis, or from the Latin aperire, "to open". Possible because it is the month in which the buds begin to open.

May: The third month of the Roman calendar. Named after the Roman goddess of growth in living things, Maia. It could also be derived from the Latin majores, meaning “older men”, because they were honored in May.

June: The fourth month was named in honor of Juno. However, the name might also come from juniores (young men; juniors) as opposed to majores (older men; majors) for May, the two months being dedicated to young and old men.

July: Named for Julius Caesar after his assassination. Mark Antony renamed the fifth month (Quintilis), for Julius, because he was born during this month.

August: Originally this month was called Sextilis (from sextus, "six"), but the name was later changed in honor of the first of the Roman emperors, Caesar Augustus (because several fortunate events of his life occurred during this month).

September: The name comes from the Latin septem, "seven".

October The name comes from the Latin octo, "eight".

November: The name comes from the Latin novem, "nine".

December: The name comes from the Latin decem, "ten".

(The months September-December are remnants of the early Roman calendar which had only ten months.).

Calendar: Derived from the Latin kalendae, meaning the day in which accounts are due.