Norse Gods & English Days of the Week
On the venerable day of the Sun let the people rest.
Key words
- Mythology: ancient stories
She's fascinated by ancient Greek and Roman mythology.
- Course: the direction in which a vehicle, especially an aircraft, spacecraft, or ship, moves, or the path along which a river flows
The pilot avoided a collision by changing course.
- Wield: to hold a weapon or tool and look as if you are going to use it
She was confronted by a man wielding a knife.
- Incorporate: to include something as part of something larger
Suggestions from the survey have been incorporated into the final design.
- Cement:If you cement an agreement or relationship, you make it unlikely to change
She cemented the sale with a down payment.
Read the article to find the answers
- When did the Norse influence on English begin?
- Who is Sunday named after?
- What is Saturday named after?
- Who helped to establish Sunday as a day of rest and worship for Christians?
Old Norse
The Norse were the people who lived in Scandinavia in the past, especially the Vikings. The Norse influence on the English language began around the 8th century when Viking raiders arrived in Britain and killed King Edmund. They worshipped many gods, with each god controlling a particular part of their daily lives, including family, agriculture and, above all, war and death! Their language, Old Norse, gradually mixed with the Old English spoken by the Anglo-Saxons.
Norse Days of the Week
Sunday, the day of the sun, comes from the Old Norse Sól, and Monday, the day of the moon, from the Old Norse Máni. In Norse mythology, Sol and Mani were sister and brother who first appeared at the creation of the world. After the gods had created the sky, Sol drove her sun chariot through it to illuminate the earth, and Mani's chariot guided the course of the moon.
Tuesday, is named after Tyr, the god of war and battle. Tyr, also known as the Sky God, was considered the most skilled swordsman, despite having only one hand!
Wednesday, is named after the chief Norse god Odin. Also associated with war, Anglo-Saxon warriors prayed to him for protection on the battlefield.
Thursday is named after the god Thunor. One of the most famous gods of Norse mythology, Thor is widely known as the hammer-wielding god associated with thunder and lightning.
Friday is named after the goddess Frigg, Odin's wife. She was the goddess of love and was associated with all things related to home, marriage and children. She was believed to be the mother of the earth and the Anglo-Saxons prayed to her for a good harvest.
Roman Days of the Week
Unlike other days, Saturday, the day of the Roman god Saturn, whose festival Saturnalia has been incorporated into our celebration of Christmas, was not replaced by a Norse god.
Interestingly, Sunday was already a day of rest and worship in Roman culture, known as 'the day of the sun' or 'dies Solis' in Latin, but Constantine's Edict of Milan helped cement Sunday's status as a day of rest and worship for Christians.
Discussion questions
- Do you have any questions about any of the vocabulary or grammar in this article?
- What are the days of the week called in your language?
- Is Sunday a day of rest in your country?
- Do you know any other Old Norse words that are still used in English?
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