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By: Dr. Joanie McConnell
Word Histories
Sept. 3, 2018
Sept. 9, 2018
Some words, like some families, have interesting histories replete with surprise, shock and even confusion. Today I would like to share two of these“ word histories” with you.
Let’ s start with a deceptively simple question? What is the 9th month of the year? Without a moment of hesitation, you will say September. Today that’ s the correct answer, but September has not always been the 9th month.
To clarify this confusion, we have to step back in time and discover how the ancient Romans measured a year. According to tradition, the first Roman calendar was created by Romulus, the legendary founder of the city of Rome. This calendar had ten months, six of which had 30 days and four of which had 31 days. The remaining 61 days, which coincided with the winter season, had no name.
The calendar year began with March, named in honor of Mars, the Roman god of war. The 2nd month was April( from the Latin verb aperire“ to open”) when nature“ opens up” again. May, the 3rdmonth, honored Maia, the Roman earth goddess, while June, the 4th month, was dedicated to Juno, the Roman goddess of marriage.( Note 1) Today the tradition of June brides lives on!
The last six months took their names from Latin numbers: five to ten.( Note 2). Quintilis was the 5th month followed by sixtilis, the 6th month. September, October, November and December were respectively the 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th months.
Unfortunately the ten-month calendar did not follow the
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