• morningsun76
  • morningsun76
  • the answer has been with you the whole time
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  • From: In two worlds
  • Registered: 2004-09-10

Topic: Word origins and associations

I've always been interested in the hidden meanings of things and used to read quite a bit online on the subject.  There's a lot to be found. I'll just post a few different examples that immediately come to mind and are some of my favorites.

Related words: holy and halo, god and good, devil and evil, Son and Sun, German phrase Bei Gott (by God) and our word bigot.

The names of the days of the week (from memory, corrections welcome):

Sunday = Sun-day
Monday =Moon-day
Tuesday = Tieuw's Day (spelling?)  some pagan god
Wednesday = Wedding (between 1st and 2nd halves of week -- in German called "Mittwoch" or midweek)
Thursday = Thor's Day
Friday = Free Day (I think)
Saturday = Saturn  .. everything ends up back being consumed by father Time, Kronos, Saturn ....

On a similar note, Santa's reindeer are very interesting, most related to the heavens or mythology by name.  The character of Santa himself is a relatively recent adaptation of the old Norse god Thor, who with his mighty hammer had the power of thunder and lightning.  Santa's last two reindeer, Donner and Blitzen, are the german words for "thunder" and "lightning." Pretty cool, isn't it?  It gets even more "trippy" and I use that word advisedly: take some time to read the essays at www.jamesarthur.net and you'll see what I mean.

  • lyra
  • lyra
  • Naked Emperor Pointer Outer
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  • From: my own private idaho
  • Registered: 2004-03-25

Re: Word origins and associations

Hi morningsun76,

Wednesday is actually derived from "Oden's Day", another Norse God, which ties it neatly into "Thor's Day";   Friday is really Frigg's Day, the wife of Oden.   Tuesday is Tiu's Day, a Germanic God of War and the Sky, (from "Arcade's Dictionary of Word Origins")  You're right about Sun  Day,   Moon  Day, and Saturn Day.  What a mish mosh, huh?  big_smile   

I love studying word origins and language though.  You're right about how many hidden things we can find embedded in our language.   They don't tell us in school where words come from, why things have the names that they do.  It's fascinating stuff!

"Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting "Holy shit ... what a ride!"  - Anonymous
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"I get by with a little help from my (higher density) friends."
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