So, today is Sunday. A pretty easy day
of the week to figure out why we call it that. Sunday, the day named
for the Sun (that's the big bright hurty thing hanging in the sky
that we all avoid). Monday, a slight alteration of Moon Day.
Some of the others are pretty
straightforward, too. Friday – Frey's Day or Freya's Day
(depending on which variation of tradition you follow). Thursday?
Named for the blond guy in the movies... you know... Luke Skywalker.
No, wait. Thor, that's it. Thursday from Thorsday (I would not want
to live in a world with a Skywalker Day. Vader would just be
insufferable once a week.)
Wednesday is always fun to spell, isn't
it? And yet, it seems to be an unnecessarily complicated respelling
of Wotan's Day. Wotan is another name for Odin, and apparently the
British lexicographers thought that Odinsday was just too clear and
easy.
But what about Tuesday? That one's a
little more obscure. Turns out there was a god of war amongst some
of the Germanic tribes a while back. So Tuesday is really War Day.
Or something like that, since this god was not only a god of war, but
the head of the pantheon and the creator god, as well. Messed up
people came up with that bunch of gods, I can tell you. Now pausing
for spears of lightning to pierce my skull....
...aaaaaand nothing. So I guess we
don't have to worry about him anymore.
Tomorrow: where the hell do
mathematicians and physicists get their naming conventions from?
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P.S. - the way to find out why words
are the way they are is to Google the word and “etymology” -
protip of the day.
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