So interesting! Once again, Mike Bergin's sent me down an etymological rabbit hole -- this time, to uncover the roots of the Italian word for "Friday," "venerdì." Seeing the first part mean worship and the second, of course, similar to "day," I thought at first it might be the influence of Islam (Muslims worship on Fridays) on Italy, where medieval Muslims and Christians traded. No such multicultural luck. It seems the root of "venerdì" is much older, going all the way back to "pagan" times when Venus was venerated -- and her day was Friday! See https://www.wordsense.eu/venerdì/ . Thanks, Mike, for inspiring me to learn the other Greco-Roman gods who inspired the names of the days in Latin and, eventually, Italian (https://www.wordsense.eu/dies_Veneris/#Latin)! I've spoken Romance languages for 35 years and never learned this before!!!
Dominique, this is awesome. I connected venerable to Venus but didn't realize that Friday was Venus's day. Let me add one more fascinating connection. The Nordic/Germanic goddess of married love Frigga was the divine counterpart of the Roman goddess of love Venus. Since English weekdays honor that pantheon, Venerdì became Frigga's Day... Friday!
So interesting! Once again, Mike Bergin's sent me down an etymological rabbit hole -- this time, to uncover the roots of the Italian word for "Friday," "venerdì." Seeing the first part mean worship and the second, of course, similar to "day," I thought at first it might be the influence of Islam (Muslims worship on Fridays) on Italy, where medieval Muslims and Christians traded. No such multicultural luck. It seems the root of "venerdì" is much older, going all the way back to "pagan" times when Venus was venerated -- and her day was Friday! See https://www.wordsense.eu/venerdì/ . Thanks, Mike, for inspiring me to learn the other Greco-Roman gods who inspired the names of the days in Latin and, eventually, Italian (https://www.wordsense.eu/dies_Veneris/#Latin)! I've spoken Romance languages for 35 years and never learned this before!!!
Dominique, this is awesome. I connected venerable to Venus but didn't realize that Friday was Venus's day. Let me add one more fascinating connection. The Nordic/Germanic goddess of married love Frigga was the divine counterpart of the Roman goddess of love Venus. Since English weekdays honor that pantheon, Venerdì became Frigga's Day... Friday!
Love that we got multiculturalism in there, after all! :)