Aw,
we’re almost done with these. I’m actually quite bummed about that—which is why
it’s been over a year since I’ve done one, as I’ve been trying to stretch them
out. I’ve done the days of the week, and now almost all the months. What else
can I do???
Seriously.
I’m asking.
As a
word, November showed up in the thirteenth century from the Old French novembre
and classical Latin November/Novembris mensis, which I assume you all know just means month of November. The novem is just nine, because November used to be the ninth month in the March-starting calendar, while the -bris is just a suffix for adjectives. Which makes it kind of weird that it
Now,
in Old English, November was the far, far cooler Blotmonað, which literally translates to blood sacrifice month, because it was the month where the Saxons
sacrificed animals for winter and butchered them for food. That is even cooler
than the original name for October, winterfylleþ.
I
cannot believe we can be calling
November Bloodmonth and we’re for some reason not. This is how you know the
world is not a fair and just place.
Sources
Tony Jebson’s
page on the Origins of
Old English
At least it would be easy to spell.
ReplyDeleteHave you done all of the planets? How about animals? That would fill up some time.
It will be Bloodmonth for me from now on!
ReplyDeleteI don't think I could even pronounce October's real name.
ReplyDeleteAnd it had my favorite letter, thorn.
ReplyDeleteOkay, so you've done seasons and months and days of the week and numbers... Colors? Family members (mom, dad, sister, aunt, cousin)? Body parts (eyes, nose mouth...)?
Blood sacrifice month. We should change all calendars to have that instead.
ReplyDelete