Chapter 6

Mid. High Germ.---Would any one believe, that the names of the days of the week are not easily to be picked out of the abundant remains of our MHG literature? It is true, sunnen tac [[[Sun's day]]] (suntac in Berth. 118) and mântac [[[Monday]]] (Parz. 452, 16. mæntac 498, 22. Amis 1648) (24) admit of no doubt. either do Donrestac [[[Doner's day]]] (Donerstag, Uolrich 73. Dunrestac, Berth. 128), spelt Duristag in a Semi-Low Germ. urk. of 1300 in Höfer p. 57), and Dornstag in one of 1495, Useners femgerichten p. 131; nor Frîtac [[[Friday]]] (Parz. 448, 7. 470, 1. Walth. 36, 31. Berth. 134), Vriegtag, Uolrich 73; nor yet samztac [[[Saturday]]] (Parz. 439, 2. Berth. 138), sunnen âbent [[[Sun's evening]]] (Trist. 3880).---But uncertainty hangs about the third and fourth days. The former, by a remarkable variation, was in Bavaria named Eritac, Erctac [[[Tuesday]]] (the true form not quite certain, eritag in Adelung's vat. hss. 2, 189. ergetag in Berth. 122; see examples collected from urkunden, Schm. 1, 96-7), in Swabia on the contrary Ziestac [[[Zie's day]]], for Ziewestac [[[Ziew's day]]]. Both of these forms, which have nothing to do with each other, live to this day in the speech of the common people: Bav. ierte, Austr. iärta, irita, Vicentino-Germ. eörtä, Alem. ziestag, zinstag, ziestig, zistig, zienstig, zinstag. The insertion of the liquid has corrupted the word, and brought in quite irrelevant notions. In central Germany the form diestag, ticstag [[[Tie's day?]]] seems to predominate (diestik in the Rhön), whence our dienstag (less correctly dinstag, there is good reason for the ie); the spelling dingstag [[[thing's day]]], as if from ding, thing, judicium, is false; dinstag occurs in Gaupps magdeb. recht p. 272.----The fourth day I have never seen named after the god, either in MHG. or in our modern dialects unless indeed the gwontig cited in the note can be justified as standing for Gwuotenstag, Wuotenstag [[[Gwuoten's, Wuoten's day]]]; everywhere that abstraction 'midweek' has carried all before it, but it has itself become almost unintelligible by being changed into a masculine mittwoch [[[midweek]]], mittich, Berth. 24, mäktig, Stald. 2, 194, conf. the Gothl. mäjkädag, Almqv. 442), 'an der mitkun,' [[[on the midweek]]] fem., is found in the Cod. zaringobad. no. 140 (A.D. 1261). So even for the fifth day, the numeric name phinztac [[[fifth-day]]] (Berth. 128. Otoc. 144. Grätzer urk. of 1338. Schwabenspiegel, p. 196. Schm. 1, 322), or phingstag, has made its way into some districts of Upper Germany through Græco-Slavic influences, pempth, petek, piatek, patek, though by these the Slavs mean Friday (see. Suppl.).

New High Germ.----I. Sonntag [[[Sunday]]]. II. Montag [[[Monday]]]. III. Dienstag [[[Tuesday]]]. IV. Mittwoch [[[Midweek]]]. V. Donnerstag [[[Thunder's day (Thursday)]]]. VI. Freitag [[[Friday]]]. VII. Samstag, Sonnabend [[[Saturday, Sun-evening]]].

Old Saxon.----The OS. names are wanting, but must have differed in some essential points from the OHG., as the derived dialects prove. We may pretty safely assume Wôdanes dag [[[Wôdan's day]]] for the fourth day of the week, for in Westphalia it is still called Godenstag, Gonstag, Gaunstag, Gunstag, at Aix Gouesdag, in Lower Rhen. urkunden Gudestag, Günther, 3, 585. 611 (A.D. 1380-7), Gudenstag, Kindlinger hörigk. p. 577-8 (A.D. 1448).-----The third day was probably Tiwesdag [[[Tiw's day]]], the fifth Thunaresdag [[[Thunar's day]]], the sixth Frîundag [[[Frîa's day]]]. The most unlike would doubtless be the seventh, was it formed after dies Saturni, Sâteresdag [[[Sâter's day]]]? conf. the Westph. Saterstag, Saiterstaig, Günter 3, 502 (A.D. 1365). In Sachsensp. 2, 66 one MS. reads for sunavend [[[sun-evening]]] Satersdach [[[Sater's day]]] (see Suppl.).

Mid. Dutch. ----I. sondach [[[sun-day]]], Maerl. 2, 159. II. manendach [[[moon's-day]]], Huyd. op St. 3, 389. maendach, Maerl. 2, 139. III. Disendach, Maerl. 2, 140. al. Dicendach, Dissendach, Cannaert strafrecht, pp. 124, 481 apparently corrupted from Tisdach [[[Ti's day]]]. IV. Woensdach [[[Woen's day]]], Maerl. 2, 143. V. Donresdach [[[Doner's day]]], Maerl. 2, 144. VI. Vrîdach [[[Vrî's day]]], Maerl. 2, 159. gen. Vrîndaghes, Maerl. 2, 144. VI. Vrîdach, Maerl. 2, 159. gen. Vrîndaghes, Maerl. 2, 143. 157. VII. Saterdach [[[Sater-day]]], Maerl. 2, 114. 120-3. 157-9. 276. 3, 197. 343. also sonnacht [[[sun-night]]], Maerl. 2, 164. 3, 240. (see Suppl.).

New Dutch.----I. zondag [[[Sunday]]]. II. mândag [[[Monday]]]. III. dingsdag [[[thing's-day]]], formerly dinsdag, Dissendag. IV. Woensdag [[[Woen's-day]]], Belg. Goensdag [[[Goen's-day]]]. V. Donderdag [[[Donder-day]]]. VI. Vrîdag [[[Vrî-day]]]. VII. Zaterdag [[[Zater-day]]].

Old Frisian.---I. somnadei [[[sun's-day]]]. II. monadei [[[moon-day]]]. III. Tysdei [[[Ty's-day]]]. IV. Wernsdei [[[Wern's (Wêda's) day]]]. V. Thunresdei [[[Thuner's-day]]], Tornsdei. VI. Frigendei, Fredei [[[Frige's-day, Fre's day]]]. VII. Saterdei [[[Sater-day]]] (references for all these forms in Richthofen).

New Frisian.----I. sneyn, abbrev. from sinnedey [[[Sunday]]], sendei, senned (conf. Frêd); the final n in sneyn, no doubt, as in OFris. Frigendei, a relic of the old gen. sing. in the weak decl. II. moandey [[[Monday]]]. III. Tyesdey [[[Ty's-day]]]. IV. Wânsdey [[[Wân's-day]]]. V. Tongersdey [[[Tonger's-day]]]. VI. Frêd, abbrev. from Frêdey [[[Frê-day]]]. VII. sniuwn, snioun, abbrv. from sinnejuwn = Sun(day)-even. Conf. tegenwoordige staat van Friesland 1, 121. Wassenbergh's bidraghen 2, 56. Halbertsma naoogst p. 281-2 (see Suppl.).

North Frisian.---I. sennedei [[[sun-day]]]. II. monnendei [[[moon's-day]]]. III. Tirsdei [[[Tir's-day]]]. IV. Winsdei [[[Win's day]]]. V. Türsdei [[[Tür's-day]]]. VI. Fridei [[[Fri-day]]]. VII. sennin (in = even) [[[sun-evening]]]

Anglo-Saxon.----I. sonnan dæg [[[Sun's day]]]. II. monan dæg [[[Moon's day]]]. III. Tiwes dæg [[[Tíw's day]]]. IV. Wôdenes or Wôdnes dæg [[[Wóden's day]]]. V. Thunores dæg [[[Thunor's day]]]. VI. Frige dæg [[[Frige's day]]]. VII. Sætres or Sæternes dæg [[[Sæter's, Sætern's day]]].

Old Norse.---I. sunnudagr. (25) II. mânadagr. III. Tyrsdagr, Tysdagr. IV. Oðinsdagr. V. Thôrsdagr. VI. Friadagr, Freyjudagr. VII. laugardagr.

Swedish.----I. söndag [[[sun-day]]]. II. måndag [[[moon-day]]]. III. Tisdag [[[Ti's-day]]], whence even Finn. tystai. IV. Onsdag [[[On's-day]]]. V. Thorsdag [[[Thor's-day]]]. VI. Fredag [[[Fre-day]]]. VII. lördag [[[bath-day]]].

Danish.----I. söndag [[[sun-day]]]. II. mandag [[[moon-day]]]. III. Tirsdag [[[Tir's-day]]]. IV. Onsdag [[[On's-day]]]. V. Torsdag [[[Tor's-day]]]. VI. Fredag [[[Fre-day]]]. VII. löverdag [[[bath-day]]] (see Suppl.).

We see, it is only in the seventh day that the Scandinavian depart from the Saxon, Frisian and Dutch: laugardagr means bath-day because people bathed at the end of the week. Yet even here there may be some connexion; a Latin poem of the 9th century on the battle of Fontenay (Bouquet 7, 304) has the singular verse: Sabbatum non illud fuit, sed Saturni dolium; a devil's bath? conf. ch. XII, Saturn. [The Germ. for carnage is blutbad, blood-bath.]

Even if the Germans from the earliest times knew the week of seven days from the four phases of the lunar change, (26) yet the naming of the days and the order in which they stand is manifestly an importation from abroad. On the contrary supposition, there would have been variation in details; and Saturn, for whom no Teutonic god seems prepared to stand sponsor, would have been left out in the cold.  



ENDNOTES:

24. Zuemtig for Monday, Stald. 2, 470 ought perhaps to be zue mentig, ze mântage; yet 1, 490 he has guenti, güenti, Tobler 248 has gwontig, guentig, and Zellwegers urk. 1, 19 guonti, for which Urk. no. 146 has 'an gutem tag,' which seems to be supported by Haltaus jahrzeitb. Or is only this particular Monday after Lent called so? In the Cod. pal. 372, 103 (ann. 1382) we have 'guotem tag.' The resemblance of this good day to the Westphalian Gudensdag (Woden's day) is purely accidental.  (back)

25. This ON. sunnudagr [[Sunna's Day, i.e. - Sunday]] is noticeable, as in other cases sôl is used rather than sunna; sunnudagr seems to have been formed by the christian teachers in imitation of the other Teutonic languages. The Swed. and Dan. söndag (instead of soldag) must have been taken bodily from a Plattdeutsch form.  (back)

26. To the Lat. word vix, gen. vicis (change, turn) corresponds, without the usual consonant-change, the Gothic vikô [[[week]]], OHG. wëchâ [[[week]]] and wëhsal [[[exchange]]], both referable to the verb veika, váik, OHG. wîchu (I give way), because change is a giving way [in German, 'der weschel ist ein weichen']. Ulph. has vikô only once, Lu. 1, 8, where en th taxei thj efhmeriaj is translated 'in vikôn kunjis' [[[in the sequence of the kindred]]]; it is evidently something more than taxij here, it expresses at the same time a part of the gen. efhmeriaj, therefore lit. 'in vice generis', which the Vulg. renders by 'in ordine vicis'. Now whether vikô expressed to the Goths the alternation of the moon's quarters, we do not know for certain; I incline to believe it, as the OHG. wëhâ, wochâ [[[week]]], AS. wice, wuce [[[week]]], ON. vika [[week, also sea-mile]], Swed. vecka [[[week]]], Dan. uge [[[week]]], are all limited to the one meaning of septimana. The very absence of consonant-change points to a high antiquity in the word. It is remarkable that the Javanese vuku means a section of time, the year falling into 30 vukus (Humb. Kawispr. 1, 196). The Finn. wijkko is more likely to have been borrowed from the Norse than from so far back as the Gothic. I remark further, than an observance by the Germani of sections of tim must be inferred from the mere fact that certi dies were fixed for the sacrifices to Mercury, Tac. Germ. 9.  (back)