Ask anyone what “Sunday” is named after and most are quick to correctly suggest, “The sun?” An only slightly smaller percentage might then guess that “Monday” is named for the moon. But after those two, it’s anybody’s guess where the names of the other weekdays come from. My shrewd guesses are:
- Tuesday is the number Two-day of the work week.
- Wednesday is from the Old German word “Woeden” meaning “hump”
- Thursday is just a contraction of Thirsty Day.
- And Friday is obviously the day you go to Red Robin for bottomless fries.
Turns out I’m flat wrong on all accounts. Can you believe Friday is actually named after Venus? A quick Wikipedia check states:
The name Friday comes from the Old English frigedæg, meaning the day of Frige the Anglo-Saxon form of Frigg, a West Germanic translation of Latin dies Veneris, “day (of the planet) Venus.”
This connection to Veneris is a little more obvious in romance languages such as French (vendredi) or Spanish (viernes). Even cooler (to me) is that most Indian languages call today Shukravar, which just so happens to be the Sanskrit name for … drumroll, please … Venus!
So why this common theme across so many languages and cultures? That’s easy! Friday, like the goddess herself, is beautiful. And the best part? It’s today!
So Happy Venusday, everybody.
Got plans for tonight? Do they include pizza? Or perhaps cheeseburgers? Are you going to have a beer and tell your friends, “Do you realize that today is Venusday?” When they look at you in awe and inquire what may be the font of your knowledge, just say, “I have people.”
So, my cool kids, what are your plans for today or this evening? Let me know below and I’ll enjoy one tall, cold one tonight for every five comments.
on April 24, 2009 at 5:40 am
Well, I would hate to contribute to the delinquency of a minor, er, major…but I can’t resist!
Tomorrow I will be at work, with “Duck Jam” going on in the park adjacent to our parking lot, and I have been told to have any “event parking” people in our lot towed – oh joy. Karma should be awesome on this!
on April 24, 2009 at 8:08 am
Tonight I plan on being very British indeed and going down to my local pub for a few jars. What ho old chap! have a good weekend – just discovered your blog (yes, I DID only have time for one more click haha!) via Crabby’s…..love it 🙂
BigFatPie xoxox
on April 24, 2009 at 9:28 am
Checking in to see if Charlie is up to his first tall cold one!
on April 24, 2009 at 10:15 am
I’ll have a tall cold one for you! 😀
I think my party pizza Friday’s are over for a while – tonight is my first Friday night of softball for the season!
I forgot it started tonight and Hannah has to work tonight so she’ll miss the first game. 🙁
Happy Venusday to you too!
on April 24, 2009 at 1:04 pm
Yeah, mine will include pizza, because on Venusday, we have Party Pizza Friday baby!!
And I will have a frosty beverage to go with it!
on April 24, 2009 at 1:46 pm
Going to see Monsters vs Aliens 3D (yes, I know I’m late to the party) and consume something yummy for dinner at the Alamo, then to bed early cuz I’ve got a race tomorrow.
(getting you closer to beer #2!!!)
on April 24, 2009 at 7:56 pm
Wow. Just one beer. I thought the cool kids would come through for me better than that! Hopefully, you’re all too busy having a fun Friday.
on April 24, 2009 at 8:07 pm
You know, when I was in Thailand I was surprised when I realized that the Sunday and Monday were also called “sun day” and “moon day” in Thai, respectively, but I didn’t know the names of all the planets so I never put the rest of it together. Friday is “wan suk,” and after checking my dictionary, sure enough– “suk” means “Venus”! Although, Thai is related to Sanskrit so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. The greater question is: will this comment still count toward a beer if I don’t discuss my plans in it?
on April 25, 2009 at 12:49 am
Hi Charlie! I’m Joanie and I won the WoWW book giveaway!
on April 26, 2009 at 3:17 pm
Here via Crabby’s blog. So you can have another cold one as a celebration for making it to the end of the week.
(Even though I missed the giveaway. *sigh* Next time, maybe.)
on April 27, 2009 at 4:56 pm
Is Wednesday named after the Norse god Woden, as in Woden’s Day? Or did I imagine that god? Anyway, sorry I’m late getting here — I push the comments past 10, so that technically means you get another long, cold one.
I went to the coast with some friends and ate chinese takeaway. I like going away on a Friday night, and waking up in a different place on Saturday morning.