Are the names of these months realistic?
I'm working on a calendar. To choose the name of the months I focused on Latin and in particular on a systematisation of the names finishing with 'ber'. I was wondering if my choices were correct and realistic.
For example, the name of the twelfth month is too long so if you think you know how it would have evolved in English, I'm interested.
- Premember
- Secember
- Tertiember
- Quatember
- Quintember
- Sextember
- September
- October
- November
- December
- Unodecember
- Duodecember
language-evolution time calendarium
add a comment |
I'm working on a calendar. To choose the name of the months I focused on Latin and in particular on a systematisation of the names finishing with 'ber'. I was wondering if my choices were correct and realistic.
For example, the name of the twelfth month is too long so if you think you know how it would have evolved in English, I'm interested.
- Premember
- Secember
- Tertiember
- Quatember
- Quintember
- Sextember
- September
- October
- November
- December
- Unodecember
- Duodecember
language-evolution time calendarium
add a comment |
I'm working on a calendar. To choose the name of the months I focused on Latin and in particular on a systematisation of the names finishing with 'ber'. I was wondering if my choices were correct and realistic.
For example, the name of the twelfth month is too long so if you think you know how it would have evolved in English, I'm interested.
- Premember
- Secember
- Tertiember
- Quatember
- Quintember
- Sextember
- September
- October
- November
- December
- Unodecember
- Duodecember
language-evolution time calendarium
I'm working on a calendar. To choose the name of the months I focused on Latin and in particular on a systematisation of the names finishing with 'ber'. I was wondering if my choices were correct and realistic.
For example, the name of the twelfth month is too long so if you think you know how it would have evolved in English, I'm interested.
- Premember
- Secember
- Tertiember
- Quatember
- Quintember
- Sextember
- September
- October
- November
- December
- Unodecember
- Duodecember
language-evolution time calendarium
language-evolution time calendarium
edited 1 hour ago
Joonas Ilmavirta♦
48.6k1170284
48.6k1170284
asked 1 hour ago
BlincerBlincer
1453
1453
add a comment |
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
In addition to the familiar September—December, there were two more numerically named months before they were renamed in early imperial era: Quintilis and Sextilis.
These should definitely go to your slots 5 and 6.
In English you could call these Quintile and Sextile.
You seem to have slightly misanalyzed the ending.
What you add to the end of a number is not -ember but -ber.
This is an easy mistake to make, as three of the four month numbers (septem, octo, novem, decem) end in -em.
The key observation is that we have October, not Octember.
It appears that the numbers 7–10 get the ending -ber to the cardinal number, whereas 5–6 get the ending -ilis to the (stem of the) ordinal number.
That is, Quin(c)tilis and Sextilis seem to be based on quintus and sextus, not quinque and sex.
So, there are two attested ways to produce month names from numbers.
To me it sounds more natural to use the ordinal one for the first months:
- primus > Primilis
- secundus/alter > Secundilis/Altrilis
tertius > Tertilis (somehow Tertiilis sounds unnatural)- quartus > Quartilis
Tertilis and Quartilis (or Tertile and Quartile in English) sound quite natural to me, but the first two less so.
However, they feel more understandable and Latin to me than the ones you proposed.
I find no way around the somewhat clumsy Undecember and Duodecember.
As Draconis points out in another answer, the Latin numbers 11 and 12 are undecim and duodecim, so maybe you could change the month names to Undecimber and Duodecimber.
However, it would not be unreasonable to keep the -e- by analogy in the English versions.
An option worth serious consideration is having the year start in March instead of January.
This is what the Roman calendar did, and this is why the names are off by two.
This would have the benefit of the months names aligning with the ones already in use.
Thank you for you answer. It is all I needed :)
– Blincer
1 hour ago
add a comment |
To supplement Joonas's wonderful answer, the words for "eleven" and "twelve" in Latin are undecim and duodecim, with an i. So I would suggest those months be changed to Undecimber and Duodecimber.
Good point! I upgraded my answer a bit. I would find it reasonable to keep the e in the English versions by analogy. I don't really know whether the -ber would have an effect on the vowel in Latin.
– Joonas Ilmavirta♦
25 mins ago
add a comment |
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2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
In addition to the familiar September—December, there were two more numerically named months before they were renamed in early imperial era: Quintilis and Sextilis.
These should definitely go to your slots 5 and 6.
In English you could call these Quintile and Sextile.
You seem to have slightly misanalyzed the ending.
What you add to the end of a number is not -ember but -ber.
This is an easy mistake to make, as three of the four month numbers (septem, octo, novem, decem) end in -em.
The key observation is that we have October, not Octember.
It appears that the numbers 7–10 get the ending -ber to the cardinal number, whereas 5–6 get the ending -ilis to the (stem of the) ordinal number.
That is, Quin(c)tilis and Sextilis seem to be based on quintus and sextus, not quinque and sex.
So, there are two attested ways to produce month names from numbers.
To me it sounds more natural to use the ordinal one for the first months:
- primus > Primilis
- secundus/alter > Secundilis/Altrilis
tertius > Tertilis (somehow Tertiilis sounds unnatural)- quartus > Quartilis
Tertilis and Quartilis (or Tertile and Quartile in English) sound quite natural to me, but the first two less so.
However, they feel more understandable and Latin to me than the ones you proposed.
I find no way around the somewhat clumsy Undecember and Duodecember.
As Draconis points out in another answer, the Latin numbers 11 and 12 are undecim and duodecim, so maybe you could change the month names to Undecimber and Duodecimber.
However, it would not be unreasonable to keep the -e- by analogy in the English versions.
An option worth serious consideration is having the year start in March instead of January.
This is what the Roman calendar did, and this is why the names are off by two.
This would have the benefit of the months names aligning with the ones already in use.
Thank you for you answer. It is all I needed :)
– Blincer
1 hour ago
add a comment |
In addition to the familiar September—December, there were two more numerically named months before they were renamed in early imperial era: Quintilis and Sextilis.
These should definitely go to your slots 5 and 6.
In English you could call these Quintile and Sextile.
You seem to have slightly misanalyzed the ending.
What you add to the end of a number is not -ember but -ber.
This is an easy mistake to make, as three of the four month numbers (septem, octo, novem, decem) end in -em.
The key observation is that we have October, not Octember.
It appears that the numbers 7–10 get the ending -ber to the cardinal number, whereas 5–6 get the ending -ilis to the (stem of the) ordinal number.
That is, Quin(c)tilis and Sextilis seem to be based on quintus and sextus, not quinque and sex.
So, there are two attested ways to produce month names from numbers.
To me it sounds more natural to use the ordinal one for the first months:
- primus > Primilis
- secundus/alter > Secundilis/Altrilis
tertius > Tertilis (somehow Tertiilis sounds unnatural)- quartus > Quartilis
Tertilis and Quartilis (or Tertile and Quartile in English) sound quite natural to me, but the first two less so.
However, they feel more understandable and Latin to me than the ones you proposed.
I find no way around the somewhat clumsy Undecember and Duodecember.
As Draconis points out in another answer, the Latin numbers 11 and 12 are undecim and duodecim, so maybe you could change the month names to Undecimber and Duodecimber.
However, it would not be unreasonable to keep the -e- by analogy in the English versions.
An option worth serious consideration is having the year start in March instead of January.
This is what the Roman calendar did, and this is why the names are off by two.
This would have the benefit of the months names aligning with the ones already in use.
Thank you for you answer. It is all I needed :)
– Blincer
1 hour ago
add a comment |
In addition to the familiar September—December, there were two more numerically named months before they were renamed in early imperial era: Quintilis and Sextilis.
These should definitely go to your slots 5 and 6.
In English you could call these Quintile and Sextile.
You seem to have slightly misanalyzed the ending.
What you add to the end of a number is not -ember but -ber.
This is an easy mistake to make, as three of the four month numbers (septem, octo, novem, decem) end in -em.
The key observation is that we have October, not Octember.
It appears that the numbers 7–10 get the ending -ber to the cardinal number, whereas 5–6 get the ending -ilis to the (stem of the) ordinal number.
That is, Quin(c)tilis and Sextilis seem to be based on quintus and sextus, not quinque and sex.
So, there are two attested ways to produce month names from numbers.
To me it sounds more natural to use the ordinal one for the first months:
- primus > Primilis
- secundus/alter > Secundilis/Altrilis
tertius > Tertilis (somehow Tertiilis sounds unnatural)- quartus > Quartilis
Tertilis and Quartilis (or Tertile and Quartile in English) sound quite natural to me, but the first two less so.
However, they feel more understandable and Latin to me than the ones you proposed.
I find no way around the somewhat clumsy Undecember and Duodecember.
As Draconis points out in another answer, the Latin numbers 11 and 12 are undecim and duodecim, so maybe you could change the month names to Undecimber and Duodecimber.
However, it would not be unreasonable to keep the -e- by analogy in the English versions.
An option worth serious consideration is having the year start in March instead of January.
This is what the Roman calendar did, and this is why the names are off by two.
This would have the benefit of the months names aligning with the ones already in use.
In addition to the familiar September—December, there were two more numerically named months before they were renamed in early imperial era: Quintilis and Sextilis.
These should definitely go to your slots 5 and 6.
In English you could call these Quintile and Sextile.
You seem to have slightly misanalyzed the ending.
What you add to the end of a number is not -ember but -ber.
This is an easy mistake to make, as three of the four month numbers (septem, octo, novem, decem) end in -em.
The key observation is that we have October, not Octember.
It appears that the numbers 7–10 get the ending -ber to the cardinal number, whereas 5–6 get the ending -ilis to the (stem of the) ordinal number.
That is, Quin(c)tilis and Sextilis seem to be based on quintus and sextus, not quinque and sex.
So, there are two attested ways to produce month names from numbers.
To me it sounds more natural to use the ordinal one for the first months:
- primus > Primilis
- secundus/alter > Secundilis/Altrilis
tertius > Tertilis (somehow Tertiilis sounds unnatural)- quartus > Quartilis
Tertilis and Quartilis (or Tertile and Quartile in English) sound quite natural to me, but the first two less so.
However, they feel more understandable and Latin to me than the ones you proposed.
I find no way around the somewhat clumsy Undecember and Duodecember.
As Draconis points out in another answer, the Latin numbers 11 and 12 are undecim and duodecim, so maybe you could change the month names to Undecimber and Duodecimber.
However, it would not be unreasonable to keep the -e- by analogy in the English versions.
An option worth serious consideration is having the year start in March instead of January.
This is what the Roman calendar did, and this is why the names are off by two.
This would have the benefit of the months names aligning with the ones already in use.
edited 28 mins ago
answered 1 hour ago
Joonas Ilmavirta♦Joonas Ilmavirta
48.6k1170284
48.6k1170284
Thank you for you answer. It is all I needed :)
– Blincer
1 hour ago
add a comment |
Thank you for you answer. It is all I needed :)
– Blincer
1 hour ago
Thank you for you answer. It is all I needed :)
– Blincer
1 hour ago
Thank you for you answer. It is all I needed :)
– Blincer
1 hour ago
add a comment |
To supplement Joonas's wonderful answer, the words for "eleven" and "twelve" in Latin are undecim and duodecim, with an i. So I would suggest those months be changed to Undecimber and Duodecimber.
Good point! I upgraded my answer a bit. I would find it reasonable to keep the e in the English versions by analogy. I don't really know whether the -ber would have an effect on the vowel in Latin.
– Joonas Ilmavirta♦
25 mins ago
add a comment |
To supplement Joonas's wonderful answer, the words for "eleven" and "twelve" in Latin are undecim and duodecim, with an i. So I would suggest those months be changed to Undecimber and Duodecimber.
Good point! I upgraded my answer a bit. I would find it reasonable to keep the e in the English versions by analogy. I don't really know whether the -ber would have an effect on the vowel in Latin.
– Joonas Ilmavirta♦
25 mins ago
add a comment |
To supplement Joonas's wonderful answer, the words for "eleven" and "twelve" in Latin are undecim and duodecim, with an i. So I would suggest those months be changed to Undecimber and Duodecimber.
To supplement Joonas's wonderful answer, the words for "eleven" and "twelve" in Latin are undecim and duodecim, with an i. So I would suggest those months be changed to Undecimber and Duodecimber.
answered 31 mins ago
DraconisDraconis
17.9k22474
17.9k22474
Good point! I upgraded my answer a bit. I would find it reasonable to keep the e in the English versions by analogy. I don't really know whether the -ber would have an effect on the vowel in Latin.
– Joonas Ilmavirta♦
25 mins ago
add a comment |
Good point! I upgraded my answer a bit. I would find it reasonable to keep the e in the English versions by analogy. I don't really know whether the -ber would have an effect on the vowel in Latin.
– Joonas Ilmavirta♦
25 mins ago
Good point! I upgraded my answer a bit. I would find it reasonable to keep the e in the English versions by analogy. I don't really know whether the -ber would have an effect on the vowel in Latin.
– Joonas Ilmavirta♦
25 mins ago
Good point! I upgraded my answer a bit. I would find it reasonable to keep the e in the English versions by analogy. I don't really know whether the -ber would have an effect on the vowel in Latin.
– Joonas Ilmavirta♦
25 mins ago
add a comment |
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