Why are the spring months named this way? What do the names of the months mean? How our calendar came to be. Origin of the names of the months
02.02.2016
January
January is named after the Roman god Janus, who was the patron of all entrances, doors, and beginnings and ends. His name comes from the Latin "janua", which means "door" as well as "beginning". Janus was often depicted as having two faces, looking forward and backward at the same time, giving rise to the term "Two-Faced Janus" - a two-faced and hypocritical person, or words with the opposite meaning.
February
February – from Latin februarius, which, in turn, is fromFebruary: the name of a Roman ritual holiday, later transformed into Lupercalia (fertility festival), which in turn replaced St. Valentine's Day.
March
If we talk about the gods, then Mars was clearly the luckiest of all: not only a month was named in his honor, but also a planet, as well as a well-known chocolate bar. As for the month, everything is logical - celebrations in honor of Mars just began in March in preparation for the campaigns (Mars is the god of war).
April
April comes from Latin Aprillis, fourth month of the Roman calendar. Further history contains no mention of the origin of the word. In Old English April is sometimes called Eastermonab, What does "Easter Month" mean?
May
Back to the gods, or rather, to the goddesses. The goddess Maya (nurse), after whom the last month of spring was named, was the daughter of the Titan Atlas and the mother of Hermes. She was a symbol of fertility and earth, which made it possible to name the first month of the harvest season in honor of her.
June
From Greek mythology Let's go back to Roman. June owes its name to the goddess Juno, wife of Jupiter, patroness of marriage and motherhood.
July
The first month that was named after a real historical figure: in honor of Julius Caesar, of course, who was born in July. Previously the month was called Quintilis(which means fifth). If you haven't lost count, July is by no means the fifth month. We'll figure it out when we get to September and October.
August
In 8 BC month Sextilis(sixth, we're confused again) was renamed after Octavian Augustus, the first Roman emperor. Before becoming emperor, he was simply called Octavian, and the Latin Augustus(venerable, dedicated) he added after. In modern English Augustus– respected, impressive.
September
And here is the reason for the discrepancies in the account: continuing the Roman tradition, following Quinitlis and Sextilis,
September (septem – seven) was named, being the seventh month in the 10-month calendar, which began in March. Now, of course, the system is forgotten, but the names still remain.
October
The scheme is the same: octo in Latin - eight. The remaining two months were added to the previous 10 at the end of the calendar around 713 BC, and only in 153 BC. January became the first month of the year.
November
November is the ninth month, called from the word novem(nine).
December
And finally, December, from decem- ten. In English, adjectives also come from it: Decemberish and Decemberly.
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Ryabchikov Daniil
This work collects material about the origin of the Meyats in the Russian language, etymology, Russian holidays celebrated in a certain month, and related traditions.
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Origin of the names of the months in Russian
Introduction
The word “calendar” has been known in Russian since the end of the 17th century.
Before that, it was called the “monthly word.” But whatever you call it, the purposes of the calendar remain the same - fixing dates and measuring time intervals. The calendar gives us the opportunity to record events in their chronological sequence, serves to foresee the future (what to expect in three months - what weather, holiday, when to plant potatoes and harvest), allows us to remember important dates, and for many other purposes. The periods of time that make up this necessary invention had to be named somehow. And each nation approached this in its own way, in a folk way. In Greece alone, in its various regions there were different names months. For example, the first month in Athens was called Hekatombeon, in Miletus - Panemos, in Delphi - Appelai, etc. In Rome the following names were in use: Januarius, Februarius, Martius, Aprilis, Maius, Junius, Quintilis, Sextilis, September, October , November, December. Sounds familiar, doesn't it? Many of them migrated to European languages. And now we call the first month January, the British January, the Germans Januar, the French janvier, the Italians gennaio.
But before these names came to us, others were used in Rus' ancient names months. The names of the months in Rus' also reflected his “character”: if in July the time of suffering was in full swing, then he was called accordingly, and no one would have thought of calling him “gloomy”. I was interested in the question of the origin of the names of the months in Russian.
The purpose of my work- study the origin of the names of the months in ancient and modern Russian, namely, what served as the basis for etymology.
Tasks:
- study the etymology of the word "month"
- explore the etymology of the names of the months in Russian
- determine the connection between the names of the months and folk labor traditions and their reflection in folk signs and holidays. Hypothesis : the names of the months in Russian are associated with the names of deities among the ancient Slavs, as well as in honor of any outstanding historical figure, holiday and features natural phenomena, occurring during his period.
- Etymology of the word "month"
There are many sources for the formation of words in the Russian language. These are native Russian words, and foreign words, and Church Slavonic ones. Etymology is the science that studies the origin of words, their life and changes in language.
Since there is no clear system of etymology, this indicates different approaches to the origin of the names of the months. Meanwhile, this same fact indicates that this etymology is so deep that it has already been almost completely forgotten. But highest value has another fact - the widest distribution of the same names of months among a huge number of peoples and in different territories.
Taken together, the above allows us to conclude that the names of the months were born in that historical depth, when the Caucasian people were still united and possessed the same language and range of concepts. This is the time of the existence of the Paleo-Russian language.
The Russian family of languages is one of three languages- the oldest in the world (the other two are Negroid and Mongoloid). Its roots go back to the pre-Chelellian and Shellian archaeological cultures of the Rusantorops of the Russian Plain (2 - 1 million years ago) and are inextricably linked with the territory of the Russian Plain itself.
It was here, in the conditions of paleo-common Russian linguistic unity, that man was formed 50 thousand years ago modern type- neoanthrop. Through a series of successively succeeding archaeological cultures, the neoanthrope reached the stage of Russian man and formed the Russian people on the Russian Plain. Starting from the 5th millennium BC, with its settlements in the areas of Greece, Sumer, Egypt, China, etc. Russian people formed the common Indo-European family of languages. Therefore, the names of the most ancient concepts in different languages go back to the Russian language of Paleolithic antiquity.
The first calendar inscriptions are archaeologically attested at the Sungir site (30 thousand BC, Vladimir), belonging to the Kostenkovo-Streltsy community of archaeological cultures formed by Paleo-Russian man. From this time on, the formation of the calendar began as a unified system for dividing time and recognizing its individual moments. By its nature, this division is fractal.
Thus, since the formation of calendar knowledge took place in Rus' and here this knowledge continued to develop, then the language of production of calendar terms and their conceptual content should be recognized as the Russian language of the stages from Paleo-Russian to Proto-Russian.
In the Russian calendar, the year is divided into four TIMES - four seasons: spring - the suspension of the axis, autumn - the support of the axis, summer - the flying of the sun, winter - the sun in the pit. At the second calendar level, each SEASON of the year is divided into three MONTHS. This division results in a total of 12 months.
“Month” literally “child of Mokosh” is an Old Russian word dating back to the time of the Paleo-Russian language - 50th millennium BC. (as part of the so-called “Nostratic” family of languages).
The word “month” is formed from the root mesa- and suff. -ts.
Russian month is ancient Russian name God's wife - Mokosha (literally cow), reflecting her zoomorphic Mousterian essence. At the beginning of the formation of the cult of Mokosh, she was perceived as the wife of God Veles: he is the Great Bull Veles; she is the mother cow Makosh (mesya, in different variations Masha, Bear, Macka, etc.). From the name of Mokosh comes the word COSMOS, which describes time in general. Using the suffix -ts in Russian, diminutive nouns are formed from the stems of feminine nouns.
Thus, part of the time - part of Mokosh - is the child of Mokosh. In ancient Russian mythology, there are 12 children of Mokosh - 12 Months, where month- + suff. ts actually means “child of Mokosh” (cf. telya - calf, pta (ha) - chick). The number of months, Mokosh's children, equal to 12, is obtained from the geometric division of Mokosh's time.
Thus, the month literally means in Russian origin "child of Mokosh".
2. Etymology of the names of the months
January - the original Russian name of the month. Literally means “giving birth” (sun-Ra). This name is derived from the ancient Russian root “wife” (jena-), denoting a woman in labor, and the suffix -ar (cf. pah-ar, myt+ar, deaf+ar, etc.).
Later Russian name the month “January” passed into peripheral Russian languages: for example, into the Latin language - januarius.
Makosh - feminine Russian Slavic monotheistic religion. She is the wife of God. God himself is Veles. Therefore, in Rus', January was also called the month of Veles.
There are other nicknames for this month, for example, studinets, stuzhen (icy), etc. One of the most interesting is prosinets. The prefix pro- means a partial manifestation of something, and the root -sin- indicates the presence of blue, believed to be from the blue of the sky beginning to appear at this time, radiance, from intensification, with the addition of day, sunlight. The Little Russian name for January “sochen” indicates the turning point of winter, which, according to popular belief, occurs precisely in January, when winter is cut into two halves, or during bitter, severe frosts. In Rus', the month of January was originally the eleventh month, for March was considered the first, but when the year began to be counted from September, January became the fifth; finally, since 1700, since the change made in our chronology by Peter the Great, this month became the first.
It is worth considering the etymology of the word January, derived from Janus. Janus is one of the most ancient Roman Indian gods, who, together with the goddess of the hearth Vesta, occupied a prominent place in Roman ritual. Meanwhile, Ancient Rome is only the 8th - 6th centuries BC, that is, far from ancient times. And already during this period the Romans did not know the essence of “their” ancient gods - about the essence religious performance, which was embodied in Janus, already in ancient times different opinions were expressed. Thus, Cicero put the name of God in connection with the verb inire and saw in Janus the deity of entry and exit. Others believed that Janus personified chaos (Janus=Hianus), or air, or the firmament. Nigidius Figulus identified Janus with the sun god [Brockhaus and Efron, 1907]. Thus, the Romans did not know the essence of “their” god. The reason for this was that it was not a Roman god, but a Russian name calendar month- JANUARY.
February (hevral) is the original Russian name of the month. Literally means “vein”, “life”.
The name "February" is etymologically related to Russian female name Fevronya, Khavronya, other Russian. Khovroniya, formed from the Russian word HOVAT southern, western, Pskov, Kaluga. “hide, store” [Dal V.]. Also Ukrainian hovati, Bulgarian Khovac, other Russian hovatisya “to beware, to hold on”, Czech. shovati “to hide, store, nurse”, Slovak. shovat" “to nurse, to grow”, Polish showac “to hide, store, feed.” The last one completes the etymological chain: Khovral - February.
The birth of the term “February” should be attributed to the time of domestication of cattle in Rus' - ca. 13 - 11th millennium BC, Central Russian and Ressetian archaeological cultures. The pig was perceived as the guardian of the people in the sense that it allowed them to survive in difficult times. winter time. Fevronya, Khavronya - Russian. pig (Russian proverbs: “They gave Khavronya for Khovrin’s son”; “Even though Baba Khavronya knocked her off the farmstead, it’s God’s will, and not to be without a farmstead!”; “Every Khavronya praises herself”).
The semantics of February is associated with dead and living water, reflected in the Russian fairy tale “Havroshechka” and in general consists of the following: dying - judgment - resurrection. The first phase ends on the night from January 31 to February 1, when the last commemoration for the OLD god Ra takes place - that is, for the Sun going to the stars (star - star). 40 days are counted from Korochun (the night from December 21 to 22), when the old Sun-Ra dies. On the same night, a new Sun-Ra is born and resurrected.
The second phase of the trinity is associated with the JUDGMENT of Mokosh, which she begins to carry out immediately after the last commemoration of Ra - that is, from February 1st (holidayLOUD, Kashcheev frosts) - and ends in ten days - that is, February 10. The semantic meaning of the court is that WINTER and SUMMER meet - a holidayCandlemas(February 1): “winter meets summer”, “sun for summer, winter for frost” (Russian last). February in its second phase is the RIDGE of winter. February is a ridge, a line, a thread, a border, after which it begins new life(cf. Lat. fiber “thread”; German. gebirge “mountain ridge”).
The third phase begins on February 11 - VELES DAY, the day of the revival of Veles. In Rus', the time of winter calving was timed to coincide with it, that is, the birth of new cows “from the bones of an old cow.” February of this stage is associated with the arrival of spring (here is the semantics of flood - flood). February is the beginning of a new life.
It was February for the Romans last month in the year and named after Febra, the ancient Italian god to whom it was dedicated. The indigenous Slavic-Russian name for this month was “snow”, probably from snowy time. In Little Russia, from the 15th century, following the imitation of the Poles, the month of February began to be called “fierce”; The villagers of the northern and middle Russian provinces still call him “side warmer”, since then the cattle came out of the barns and warmed their sides in the sun, and the owners themselves warmed their sides at the stove.
One of the nicknames for February - section, is derived mythologically from Russian. cutting is a battle, a battle between winter and summer, and in everyday life it is the time to cut down trees to clear the land for arable land. It was also called “low water” (between winter and spring). Due to frequent blizzards and blizzards, February is also called “windstorm”.
Zimobor, protalnik, dry, berezozol (March)- Egyptians, Jews, Moors, Persians, ancient Greeks and Romans began the year with this month. The name March was given to this month by the Romans in honor of the god of war, Mars. It was brought to us from Byzantium.
The indigenous Slavic-Russian names of this month in the old days in Rus' were different: in the north it was called dry or dry from the spring warmth, drying up all moisture, in the south - berezozol, from the action of the spring sun on the birch, which at this time begins to fill with sweet sap and sprouts buds. Zimobor - conquering winter, opening the way to spring and summer, thawed snow - this month the snow begins to melt, thawed patches and drops appear. The month of March is also often called “flight”, since it marks the beginning of spring, the harbinger of summer, and together with the months following it - April and May - constitutes the so-called “flight”.
April - Bresen, pollen, snowgon (April) - April is a Latin word, from the verb aperire, to open, it indicates the opening of spring. The ancient Russian names for the month of April were: brezen, snowgon - streams run, taking with them the remains of snow, or also - pollen, because it is then that the first trees begin to bloom, spring blooms.
Herbalist (May) - Latin name given in honor of the goddess Mai; just like many others, it came to us from Byzantium. The Old Russian name for the month of May was herbal, or grass, which reflected the processes taking place in nature at that time - a riot of herbs. This month was considered the third summer month.
Multicolor, worm, isok (June)- the word “Junius” was given to this month in honor of the goddess Juno. In the old days, the indigenous Russian name for the month of June was izok. Izokom was the name given to a grasshopper, of which there was particular abundance this month. Another name for this month is worm, especially common among Little Russians, from chervetsa or worm; This is the name given to a special kind of dye worms that appear at this time. In addition, in the old days, the month of June was very often popularly called Kresnik - from the cross (fire), and at the same time from the day of John the Baptist (Ivan Kupala).
Stradnik, Cherven, Lipets (July)- “Julius”, a name given in honor of Julius Caesar, of course, has Roman roots. In our old days, it was called, like June, - cherven - from fruits and berries, which, ripening in July, are distinguished by their particular reddishness (scarlet, red). This month is also called Lipets - from the linden tree, which usually appears in full bloom at this time. July is also called the “crown of summer”, since it is considered the last month of summer, or also a “sufferer” - from the hard summer work, a “thunderstorm” - from severe thunderstorms.
Stubble, glow, sickle (August)- like the previous one, this month received its name after the Roman emperor - Augustus. Indigenous Old Russian names the months were different. In the north it was called “glow” - from the radiance of lightning; in the south, “serpen” comes from a sickle used to remove grain from the fields. Often this month is given the name “Zornik”, in which one cannot help but see a modified old name “glow”.
Veresen, gloomy, ruin (September)- “September”, the ninth month of the year, was the seventh among the Romans, which is why it got its name (from septem). In the old days, the original Russian name for the month was “ruin”, from the roar autumn winds and animals, especially deer. He received the name “gloomy” due to his weather differences from others - the sky often begins to frown, it rains, autumn is in nature.
Leaf fall (October)- “October” is the tenth month of the year; among the Romans it was the eighth, which is why it got its name (octo - eight); among our ancestors it is known as “leaf fall”, from the autumn fall of leaves, or “pusdernik” - from pazderi, bonfire, since flax, hemp, and habits begin to crush in this month. Otherwise - “dirty”, from autumn rains, causing bad weather and dirt, or “wedding party” - from weddings that are celebrated at this time in peasant life.
Breast (November)- “November” we call the eleventh month of the year, but among the Romans it was the ninth, which is why it got its name (nover - nine). In the old days, this month was called the chest month itself or the chest month, from the piles of frozen earth with snow, since in general in the ancient Russian language the winter frozen road was called the chest path.
Jelly (December)- “december” (lat. december) is our name for the 12th month of the year; among the Romans it was tenth, which is why it got its name (decem - ten). Our ancestors called it “studen”, or cold, because of the cold and frosts common at that time.
3. Folk signs of the months
January - first winter month- was called “prosinets” in Rus', because for the first time after the low, gloomy sky of December, “thawed patches” appeared - islands of blue sky. But January was also famous for snowstorms and frosts. That is why the Russians called it “section”, the Czechs and Slovaks called it “ice”, the Serbs called it “zimc” and “prozimc”. In addition, in Rus', January was called Vasil month in honor of St. Basil the Great, whose day fell on January 1 - the turning point of winter. In Russian proverbs, January is famous as “the beginning of the year, the middle of winter.” They said that in January the day increases by two hours (after the winter solstice, December 24, the turn towards summer begins).
Once upon a time in Rus' the year began in March, so January was the eleventh month; Later New Year was celebrated in September, on Semyon Day, - and January became the fifth month of the year; and after the introduction of a new calendar by Peter I in 1700, it became the first of twelve months.
Here's what folk signs attributed the Russian people to this month:
A crow cries at noon, towards the south - towards warmth, towards the north - towards cold.
Bullfinches sing when the weather changes - before snowfall.
Sparrows sit quietly in the trees - it will snow without wind.
The dog stretches out on the floor and sleeps with its paws outstretched - for warm weather.
In January there are many frequent and long icicles hanging - the harvest will be good.
As the day grows in January, so does the cold.
In January there will be snow and bread will arrive.
If January is dry, frosty and the water in the rivers decreases greatly, then the summer will be dry and hot.
From January the sun turns towards summer.
January is on the doorstep, the day has arrived for the sparrow's leap.
January puts wood in the stove.
January puts on a sheepskin coat to the toes, paints intricate patterns on the windows, amuses his eyes with snow and tears his ears with frost.
Father January - frosts, February - snowstorms.
“The beginning of the New Year, the middle of winter,” people have long said about this month. And they conventionally portray him as two-faced: his old face is turned to the past, his young face is turned to the future.
February sometime in Ancient Rus' was the last, twelfth month, completing the year. When the year began in September, it became the sixth in a row. Since 1700, February is the second month of the year according to the new calendar. The Russians called it “snezhenem”, the Ukrainians and Poles called it “fierce”, the Croats called it “svechen”, the Czechs and Slovaks called it “unor”. February, according to the saying, “cuts winter in half,” in addition, “February will add three hours of daylight,” “In February (at Candlemas) winter will meet spring.” IN leap year With 29 days in February, it is considered the heaviest month of the year (even heavier than May).
The following signs are said about February:
Severe frosts in February occur only at night.
In winter there is a lot of frost - in summer there is a lot of dew.
The morning dawn quickly fades due to the cold.
The sun rises red - on a snowstorm.
Bright stars mean frost, dim stars mean thaw.
The name of the third month of the year - March - came into Russian from the Byzantines. In the old days, this month was called “dry” and “berezozol”, and the first day of March was called “novichok”, because until the beginning of the 15th century. March was the first month of the year. March is associated in the popular consciousness primarily with the week of Broad Maslenitsa, which is considered the most cheerful, riotous holiday. The approaching warmth is already felt in nature, the sun is warming up like spring, and at this time of the first thaw, the Russian people celebrate the dissolute “straw” week preceding Lent. The holiday is associated with the spring revival to life of the bright goddess of fertility - the cheerful beauty Lada, who went in search of her beloved Lel, the god of the month of May, who had been put to sleep by winter-Morana. Lada walked, surrounded by numerous cheerful, kind and mischievous companions of half-divine, half-mortal origin, and the evil winter-Morana was accompanied by the spirits of darkness, cold and misfortune. It was believed that:
Thunder in early spring - before the cold.
When the surface of the snow is rough in spring, it means a harvest, and when it is smooth, it means a crop failure.
If the icicles do not have a void in the middle, then the loaves are full and the grain is rich.
Yarilo took the winter with a pitchfork.
The morning of the year is March in folk calendar. Breaks winter, gives a path to the new season.
The second month of spring is called April for a reason: according to popular belief, in April the earth melts. “March is famous for beer, and April is famous for water,” people say. In April, the snow melts unstoppably, just as the arrival of real spring, with warmth, fresh herbs. “The beginning of April is in snow, the end is in greenery,” they say about this month. Previously, in Rus' this month was called “proletnik”, as it foreshadowed the imminent arrival of summer; among the Poles it was called “kveten”; Czechs and Slovaks called April “Duben”. In Ancient Rus' it was the second month; later, until 1700, he was considered the eighth, and after the reform of Peter I he became the fourth.
In relation to April, the following signs have developed:
In the spring the rain soars, and in the fall it wets.
Spring is red during the day.
Spring - light up the snow, sparkle the ravines.
Where there is an extra peg of manure, there is an extra piece of bread.
If you sow deeper in the spring, you will have bread in the winter.
Signs for the days of the month:
April is neither colder than March nor warmer than May. From snow to leaf - this is April Aquarius. April rays awaken the earth. Water is good, it will come in handy in May, when the rain breaks out.
This month was also difficult for those who worked in the fields and gardens: they had to work tirelessly on planting. Therefore, for each May day there were special signs and customs. On the last day of April they celebrated: if the sky is clear and the day is sunny, it means that the last month of spring and even the whole summer will be good. But even if the first green leaves appeared on the trees in April, cold weather and frosts are sure to be expected in May.
They said about May in Rus':
May warmth is unreliable.
Rain in May - wait for the harvest.
Dry May is not good.
If May is warm at the beginning, expect cold weather in the second half.
May is the celebration of the awakening of nature.
June was once the fourth month of the year. First in Russia summer month is called “rose flower”, the Poles call it “chervec”, the Czechs and Slovaks - “cherven”, the Croats - “Ivan-chak” and “klisen”. This is the month of young, green grass and first harvests: at the end of May - beginning of June, the first vegetables and herbs of the new season appear, and housewives prepare soup from young nettles. And people associate many signs with this month:
You can't recognize summer in one day.
The cuckoo brings news of summer, and the swallow brings warm days.
The swallow begins spring, and the nightingale ends summer.
In June, a day is a year.
In June dawn meets dawn.
In June, the first berry is placed in the mouth, and the second is carried home.
In June there is a holiday in the forest: pine and spruce bloom.
June is rich in thunderstorms.
June is the month of white nights, flowering herbs, and singing birds.
June is the brightest month of the year.
Spends June at work, discourages dancing.
June has come - don't care about fishing.
June has arrived and there are many colors - there is no end to work.
June produces crops for the whole year, but in itself it is a hungry month - not much has ripened yet. This month is called so for the flowers, colors and bright dawns. People call it grain growth. June is a hoarding month, the harvest is saved for the whole year.
July has always been a month of hard work in the field and in the garden, so with its arrival the cheerful festivities, round dances, and holidays, of which there were many in June, ended. This is the month of the first harvests of berries, mushrooms and other forest gifts.
July is a thunderstorm, it throws lightning, it knocks oak trees.
In July the sun rejoices. Summer is beautiful for everyone, but the top of your head is painfully heavy.
June passed through the meadows with a scythe, and July ran through the meadows with a sickle.
If there is a lot of thistle in the summer, then the winter will be cold.
If the grass is dry in the morning, expect rain by night.
Dull thunder means quiet rain, booming thunder means downpour.
In the morning the fog spreads across the water - the weather will be good.
It’s hot in July, but it’s a pity to part with it; it’s stuffy in July, but it’s boring to part with it.
In July, the field is thick, but the barn is empty.
If July is hot, December will be frosty.
July mows and reaps, does not allow you to sleep for a long time.
July is the turning point of summer, the month of red.
July has a sweet tooth: generous with fragrant berries.
It is not the ax that feeds the man, but the July work.
A woman would dance, but the crown of summer has come.
July will knock the arrogance out of a man if he has no time to sit down.
The mangy pig will be chilly in July.
July is the peak of summer. A fertile time for ripe bread, vegetables, berries and early potatoes. Haymaking, the beginning of the grain harvest.
August is the last month of summer, and from the first days you can feel the approach of autumn. In Ancient Rus' he was called “zornik”, Czechs and Slovaks - “serpenem”, Serbs - “prashnik” and “zhench”. This month they stored food for the whole winter, so the fruitful August, as the proverb goes, fed the whole winter. There were other signs in August:
The flowers of the loach are tightly closed - before the rain, water will not get into the flower.
Before bad weather, songbirds stop singing.
In August, birch brooms are harvested.
Pre-autumn collection of medicinal herbs - healing herbs at their best, in all their healing power.
The apple trees are leaning down, heavy with fruit.
Frost falls - a sign of an early, icy winter.
August is a thick-eater, a thick-eater, a generous pickle (hospitable drinker): plenty of everything.
August took two hours - he shortened the day and added night.
August is stubble, the month of harvest.
It's August and it's a busy time for fish.
August is the sunset of summer, the last month of summer.
The August night is long, the water is cold.
August will come and establish its own rules.
August brings morning frosts (frosts).
The first autumn month of September was called “leaf fall” in Rus', among the Slovaks - “breast”, in Ukraine - “veresenem”. It also had another name - “howler” (“ruyan” among the Croats), because it was in September that the cold autumn winds began. But in the middle - end of September they were waiting for the onset of a quiet and sunny " Indian summer“, when the sun still warms like summer, but the morning cold is already making itself felt. It is customary to finish field work in September, and it is no coincidence that it was once the first month of the year: old year ended and the new harvest year began.
We started collecting rose hips - autumn has arrived.
Thick warm fogs warn of the beginning of the mushroom pore.
If an owl hoots often on a rainy night, the weather will be good tomorrow.
Frogs jump onto the shore and croak during the day, and fish jump out of the water - it will rain.
The leech lies calmly at the bottom - a sign of good, clear weather.
When there is a north wind, the fish bite poorly, but a south or southwest wind is another matter.
Cirrus clouds are harbingers of close flights of bird flocks.
Thunder in September foreshadows a warm autumn.
September will wait - to the peasant's delight.
There is no September without fruits.
September is the evening of the year.
The month is called still yellow, zhovten - according to the color of plants at this time of year.
The leaf fall passed quickly - the cold will soon come and the winter will be harsh, and if the leaves remain green and stay on the trees for a long time, the winter will be short, with slight frosts. This is what they said about another month of autumn - October.
October loves neither wheels nor runners.
Thunder in October foreshadows a snowless, short and mild winter.
Autumn says: “I’ll make you rich,” and winter: “As I want!”
The first snow falls forty days before real winter.
September smells like apples, October smells like cabbage.
The first snow fell on wet ground - it will remain, on dry ground - it will soon go away. From the first snow to the sleigh ride - six weeks.
There is no daytime snow - the first reliable snow falls at night.
In October, it's raining and snowing at the same hour.
In October, neither on wheels nor on a sleigh.
October alternately cries and laughs.
Father, October is cold, and November is even colder. Pre-winter. In autumn bad weather there are seven weathers in the yard: it sows, it blows, it swirls, it stirs, it roars, it pours from above and sweeps from below. In November, the last leaves fell, and over most of Russia, real winter. From mid-November - until the day of Saints Cosmas and Damian - the frost froze the rivers and lakes. If snow fell at the end of October, in November it no longer melted and lay in a dense layer.
Winter has a crown of ice, a ring of frost, and a belt of snow.
Winter is strict towards the light - it dresses up haystacks in robes, and covers the meadows with robes.
Frost on the trees means frost, fog means thaw.
Many ducks remain for the winter if the winter is expected to be warm.
In November, winter and autumn are fought.
In November, it may rain in the morning, and by the evening the snow may lie in drifts.
Mosquitoes in November - be a mild winter.
Whoever does not feel cold in November will not freeze in December (January).
November connects deep autumn with persistent winter. It is also called listognom - from withering leaves.
December is the month of the first white trails.
If you don’t go to the forest, you’ll freeze on the stove.
In a fur coat in summer, and naked in winter (oak).
Wintering rooks - for a warm winter.
Green sneezes on alder branches sing “tilly-tip” - to the frost.
We brought a spruce into the house, and she brought a blizzard with her.
In December, winter lays down white canvases, and frost builds bridges across rivers.
In December the frost increases, but the day arrives.
In December there are seven weather conditions: it blows, blows, swirls, tears and sweeps.
At the end of December the sun turns to summer, winter begins to frost.
The year ends in December, winter begins.
December is the month of large wolf packs.
The month of December ends old grief, and lays the path for the new year with new happiness. The cold keeps you busy all winter. The year ends, winter begins.
4. Russian calendar holidays and rituals
Among the calendar rituals, winter and summer Christmastide, associated with the winter and summer solstice, were especially favorite. On the cold winter evenings, the thoughts of the peasants were turned to future field work, full of anxiety for the harvest. Wishes for a rich harvest were heard in numerous winter ritual songs - carols, shchedrivkas, sowings, melankas, and autumn songs. On New Year's night, mummers went from house to house singing and joking (they put on a fur coat turned inside out and put on a beard). They congratulated the owners and wished them well-being. The purpose of agricultural magic in many villages was also served by the ritual of “sowing” on the first day of the New Year. Neighbors, relatives, children went from house to house under the guise of “sowers”, throwing a handful of grain into the red corner.
At Christmas time, girls, boys and children got together and went caroling. Carol songs got their name from the pagan deities Kolyada, Ovsenya, symbolizing the beginning solar year. In the houses, special treats were prepared for carolers. These were pies, gingerbreads, sweets, but sometimes the carolers were given money, mostly nickels. They started caroling in the evening before Christmas, on Christmas Eve. Early in the morning on Christmas Day, at sunrise, they went out and sang a song glorifying the birth of Christ and the Mother of God.
old New Yearwas also widely celebrated, and in different villages in different ways. On the night from January 13 to 14 (new style), young people went to “generate.” This name comes from the designation of the evening of January 13 - “generous evening”. Christmastide lasted two weeks with Yuletide evenings andfortune telling. The girls told fortunes on the night before the New Year, before Christmas and Epiphany. Fortune telling was different. The girls went to the neighbors to ask the name of the owner in order to find out the name of their future husband; they threw a shoe over the gate to determine the side to which they would marry.
Christmastide ended on January 19th with a holidayEpiphany.He coped in accordance with the church canons of the rite of blessing of water, but in each village there were its peculiarities. Early morning, even before dawn, all the village residents approached the church, from where a religious procession led by the priest, with banners and special church chants, headed to the place on the river where the cross was. There the priest blessed the water with prayers. After him, residents came to the water and took it for themselves.
In those villages where there were no rivers, the procession went to the well. Doves were released near the well, in the form of which, according to biblical tradition, the Holy Spirit appeared to John the Baptist and pointed him to Jesus as the Son of God.
Christmastide with its fun and jokes, fortune-telling and dressing up ends, and the “meat-eater” begins - several weeks separating Epiphany from Maslenitsa. At this time, weddings took place.
Everyone was waiting with great anticipation Maslenitsa, which was celebrated seven weeks before Easter (late February - early March).
Each day of Maslenitsa had its own name, each was assigned certain actions: Monday - “meeting”, Tuesday - “flirt”, Wednesday - “gourmet”, “revelry”, “turning point”, Thursday - “wide”, Friday - “mother-in-law” evenings", "mother-in-law's evenings", Saturday - "sister-in-law's get-togethers", "farewell", Sunday - "forgiveness day". On Maslenitsa we went to visit each other, They organized dances, games, and sleigh rides. On Maslenitsa the newlyweds were called. They went to their father-in-law or mother-in-law, carrying with them nuts and buns, which they gave to children they met along the way. On Friday, the sons-in-law came to their mother-in-law for pancakes. There were also fist fights. On Wednesday the so-called “fists” began. On Saturday there was a decisive battle. The fighting continued until Sunday, until 12 o'clock. At noon the bells began to ring, and all the people went home. Maslenitsa ends with Forgiveness Sunday. On this day people ask each other for forgiveness.The last day of the week was dedicated to seeing off Maslenitsa. A straw effigy was erected in the village. “On the crosspiece” they put a shirt and trousers, stuffed them with straw, and put a pot in place of a face. The effigy stood all week and was burned on Sunday. The bonfire on which Maslenitsa was burned was not a funeral. These were a kind of welcoming lights to honor the arrival of spring.
It starts right after Maslenitsa Lent- seven weeks of severity, holiness, abstinence. During Lent, they did not sing songs, did not organize festivities or gatherings. They ate only lean food, fasted, that is, they fasted. “Let’s eat horseradish, radishes and white cabbage.” In the middle of Lent, on the night from Wednesday to Thursday, “the fast breaks in half.” Wednesday was considered festive - the “sredokrestie” was celebrated. Cookies in the shape of a cross were specially baked for this day.
The sixth week of Great Lent (pre-Easter) is called verb. IN Palm Sunday Willow branches are blessed. The consecrated willow is placed in the front corner, in the shrine or behind it. The willow and especially its earrings were considered everywhere to be healing and endowed with special powers. It symbolized health and strength, so the touch of a willow to a person or animal had a magical meaning. Blessed willow They hit everyone in the household, especially children.
IN last days before Easter they prepare for great things Christian holiday Resurrection of the Lord. Easter is celebrated for three days. On the Thursday before Easter, Easter cakes begin to be baked. The Easter cake is decorated with cones, bagels, and multi-colored millet. When baking Easter cake, it is not allowed to walk around the hut or slam doors so that the dough does not settle. The most beautiful Easter cakes are taken to church to be blessed.
On the first or second day of Easter, everyone goes and commemorates their deceased relatives with eggs and Easter cakes. The eggs, having previously been rolled, are left on the grave and crumbled so that birds can eat them. But the main commemoration of the dead takes place on the week following Easter (for Russians - on Tuesday, for Ukrainians - on Monday). This day is called Radunitsa.
The month of May comes and with itFeast of St. George the Victorious(St. George's Day) - May 6 (new style). A special feature of this calendar holiday is the combination of pastoral and agricultural rituals. In the popular consciousness, Saint George was the patron saint of animals and guardian of livestock. Many ideas and rituals related to the former “cattle gods” were transferred to him. People turned to George with a request to protect cows, sheep, and horses. The peasants walked around the sown winter field, and then had a ritual meal. The remains of food were buried in the ground, which was an undoubted relic of ancient sacrifices to the earth, to increase her fertility.
On the Ascension of the Lord (40th day after Easter), various rituals were performed. Some of them were associated with carpogonic magic (magic aimed at enhancing fertility). This is the baking of ritual cookies in the form of a ladder - to make it easier for Jesus Christ to ascend to heaven. The “ladders” were carried into the field, tossed with the words: “So that my rye grows just as high,” and then thrown to the ground or eaten.
The transition from spring to summer is marked Trinity - a poetic and joyful holiday. The seventh week after Easter is called “semikova”, “rusal”, “green”, “dirt”. All days of the week were considered holidays, but Semik - the seventh Thursday after Easter - stood out especially parent's Saturday and Trinity-Pentecost (50th day of Easter), Sunday. The Trinity was a whole complex of rituals. In terms of their abundance, this holiday is comparable only to winter Christmastide. It is no coincidence that Trinity was called the green Christmastide. The main meaning of the Trinity rites is the veneration of the earth, the cult of vegetation, and the desire to convey to man the strength and power of nature.
Trinity is a girls' holiday. The girls went into the forest or meadow, wove wreaths, curled a birch tree. They curled the birch tree in different ways. They twisted branches like a wreath; they braided their hair, sometimes tying the branches with ribbons, bent the branches to the ground, and braided them to the grass. Then they came to develop the wreaths - they looked at whether they were preserved or developed.
The girls wove wreaths of flowers, threw them into the river and used them to tell fortunes. The first Monday after Trinity is celebrated as Whit Monday. The people perceived it as a continuation and completion of the Trinity rites. The main event was “seeing off the mermaid”. Therefore, the entire Trinity week, including Monday, was called “Rusal”. During this week, according to legend, mermaids came out of the water and ran through fields and forests, swung on trees, pounced on those they met and could tickle them to death. On Spiritual Day there was another very ancient ritual - thisMorena holiday,or rather, the ritual of “expelling Morena from the forest.” Morena is a female mythological character, the spirit of the forest, a kind of forest mermaid, mistress of the forest. Its power can be hidden in a tree trunk, herbs, even in the body of a bird.
On the holiday of Morena, like Kupala, bonfires are lit, but people do not jump over them. In these bonfires they try to burn as much as possible more branches. Morena does not bathe in water, does not douse herself, but she is afraid strong fire Therefore, during the night celebrations they keep very bright bonfires. Only young people take part in the ritual. The rite of expulsion of Morena also contains agricultural magic. The fact is that it is carried out during the beginning of haymaking. Morena is asked not to interfere with haymaking in the forest meadows and not to send rain.
July 7 (June 24, old style, summer solstice) falls Orthodox holiday Nativity of John the Baptist. The most important calendar holiday of the Slavs, Ivan Kupala, falls on this day.The holiday of Ivan Kupala is associated with a lot of legends and beliefs; it is distinguished by a wealth of ritual actions. This milestone served in the folk calendar as the starting point for many signs necessary for a peasant in everyday life and work. On this day they went to collect herbs and roots for medicinal and healing purposes. On the eve of Ivan Kupala, girls used herbs to tell fortunes. They collected 12 herbs (thistle and fern are a must), put them under the pillow at night so that the betrothed would dream: “Mummed betrothed, come to my garden for a walk!” In the morning they checked: if there were twelve herbs left, this promised marriage.
On the night of Ivan Kupala they also used wreaths to tell fortunes. Towards which village the wreath will float, and wait for the groom from there.
At the dawn of the Ivan Kupala holiday itself, it is customary to swim, and not only water, but also dew is considered healing. On Ivan Kupala they ran through the streets with buckets and doused everyone they met. Traditionally, on Kupala they lit bonfires, danced around them, jumped over them, paying tribute to cleansing magic.
The fires were set outside the village, on a high place. Sometimes they tied straw around old wheels, set them on fire and lowered them from the hills as a sign that the day was beginning to wane from that time on.
There is a belief that it is on Kupala night that the fern blooms once a year. Whoever sees this flowering, picks a flower and eats it, will be an “expert”, will know everything and will be happy all his life.
According to legends, you cannot sleep on Kupala night, as all evil spirits come to life and become especially dangerous - witches, werewolves, mermaids, mermen.
Summer continues, the harvest is ripe. From July 21, Summer Kazan Day Mother of God Preparations for the harvest begin. The first compressed sheaf is kept specially, it is called the birthday boy, threshing begins with it, cattle are fed with its straw, its grains are healing for people.
August 2 is celebratedday of Elijah the prophet. "Ilya thunderstorms, holds and guides." According to legends, on Ilya there are usually “sparrow nights”, when throughout the night deafening thunder is heard, lightning flashes, all living things are in fear, especially birds, it is heavy on the heart and man. According to other beliefs, "sparrow nights" are very short nights- shorter than a sparrow's tail. Since there were thunderstorms on Elijah, they did not work in the field that day, fearing that the formidable saint would burn the crops.
In August, the harvest begins and the bins are filled with grain and fruits. The time is coming Spasov. The first one was honey, the second one was apple, the third one was nut, linen, bread.
On the Assumption (August 28 - new style) was celebratedholiday of the end of the harvest (dozhinka). On these days, an ancient ritual associated with the veneration of Mother Earth was previously performed. Upon completion of the work, the reapers rolled around in the fields.
September 21st was celebratedNativity of the Virgin Mary. People called this dayautumn, springs. It is also an important calendar date - day autumn equinox. For several centuries (starting from the 14th century), the New Year was celebrated in September.
Autumn is not as rich in calendar holidays as winter and spring. Particularly notable are Pokrov, Paraskeva Pyatnitsa, Dmitrieva Saturday. Winter St. Nicholas Day, Spiridon.
Intercession (October 14, new style) fell on the first winter. Based on the weather on Pokrov, they determined what kind of winter it would be. “On Pokrov it’s autumn before lunch, and after lunch it’s winter-winter.” On this day, the cattle are fed with the last sheaf and after that they are kept at home. Pokrov is the time when gatherings begin. “If snow falls on Pokrov, it foreshadows many weddings.”
Paraskeva Friday (October 27) is the holiday of the patron saint of women, women's intercessor. Paraskeva patronizes women's winter work- spinning and weaving.
On Dmitrov Day (November 8), on Dmitrov Saturday, memorials for the dead were celebrated everywhere, the whole week was called parental and grandfather's. “If the parents have a rest during the grandfather’s week (there is a thaw), then the whole winter will be with wet greenhouses.” Dmitrov's Saturday was always celebrated solemnly: they went to the graves and served memorial services there, and arranged rich treats.
November 27 is the day of St. Nicholas of winter, cold. The first serious frosts are on Nikola. Unlike others, this is a holiday for old people, large families and representatives of rural and rural families. The general fun and hunt for beer lasted at least 3-4 days, with all the closest relatives attending, and neighbors were certainly invited.
The gatherings began with Nikola. During this time, young people rented a house from a single woman or widow. In the evenings, boys and girls gathered there, prepared Christmas masks and costumes for the mummers, had fun, sang, and played “kissing games.” On Nikola's day the matchmaking began.
December 25 - Spiridon Solstice- winter solstice. After Spiridon, the day begins to increase. "From Spiridon, sun for summer, winter for frost." Following an ancient custom, bonfires were burned during the solstice in honor of the sun. They rolled a wheel from the mountains, which they then burned at an ice hole.
Approached New Year. The annual circle of folk calendar holidays was closing.
5. Conclusions
Having considered all the names, it is difficult not to notice that the month could have received its name because of its “character”, that is natural features, as well as by the name of the holiday that was celebrated in it. The names of the months also came from the names of deities among the ancient Slavs. Facts were noted when the names of the months were associated with the name of some outstanding historical hero. The origin of the names of the months in Russian is associated with the origin of folk holidays, rituals, and traditions. Features of the etymology of names can be traced in folk sayings, proverbs, riddles and signs. Thus, my research hypothesis was confirmed.
We continue to develop our erudition. In this article I will tell you about the origin of the names of the months. These names are repeated from year to year, but not everyone knows why January is called January, and August is called August. It's time to lift the veil of secrecy and find out why certain months are named that way. We will also consider Old Slavic names months that were used by our ancestors before the introduction of the Roman calendar.
So, a long time ago in Ancient Rome a solar calendar was developed, which consisted of names associated with Roman gods, emperors and just numbers. It was this that was adopted as the basis and replaced the ancient Slavic calendar, which our ancestors had used for many centuries. There are different versions of why this happened, but the main one is religious. Orthodox Church sought by all means to eradicate paganism and this affected the calendar, and since Rus' in those days was in close contact with Byzantium, the Roman calendar, which it inherited from the Western Roman Empire, came in very handy. However, let's look at the months themselves and their names.
In fact, the basis of the calendar, consisting of 12 months, has been preserved; the only change affected the beginning of the year. The ancient Romans' first month was March.
March - origin of the name
March (lat. Martius) got its name in honor of the Roman god Mars - the god of war. The Romans revered this god and with the arrival of warm weather spring days Apparently military campaigns were planned, hence the name.
April- origin of name
The name April comes from the Latin word Aprilis - opening. This month the buds on the trees opened. There is also another version of the origin of April, from lat. apricus – warmed by the sun, sunny. However, this practically does not change the essence.
May- origin of name
The month of May (Majus) is named after the Roman goddess of spring, Maia. The Romans identified Maya with the Italic goddess Maiesta, the patroness of the fertile land. This month various sacrifices were made to this goddess.
June– origin of name
June (Junius) – named after the goddess Juno. Patroness of women and spouses of Jupiter. Although there is an opinion that the name June is associated with the first Roman consul Junius Brutus.
July– origin of name
The month of July (Julius) is named after the famous commander and politician Julius Caesar; in principle, he started the calendar reform. Previously, the month was called “Quintilis”, which means “Fifth”.
August– origin of name
Augustus (Augustus) received its name in honor of Emperor Augustus, who made his own amendments to the calendar. Previously, the month was called “Sextilis,” which means “Sixth.”
September October November December– origin of name
Everything is simple here. These months simply correspond to their serial number in the list of months.
September from Lat. septem – seventh
October from Lat. octo – eighth
November from Lat. novem – ninth
December from Lat. decem - tenth
Although it should be noted that attempts to give the numbers personalized names were made more than once. Many emperors sought to immortalize their names in the names of the months. For some time, the months Tiberius, Antonius, and so on existed, but they did not take root and over time were consigned to oblivion.
January – origin of name
January (Januarius) is named after the Roman god Janus. Yes, yes, that same two-faced Janus, the god of all beginnings, connecting the past and the future, the keeper of entrances and exits. Janus was also the patron saint of travelers and the guardian of roads, and was revered among Italian sailors, who believed that it was he who taught people how to build the first ships.
February– origin of name
February (Februarius) from lat. Februa "festival of purification". In this month, a ritual of cleansing and atonement for sins was carried out. The name of the month is also associated with the Etruscan god of the underworld Februus.
This brief information For general development, if anyone wants to study this issue in more detail, I can recommend using Wikipedia and learning about the origin of the months in more detail.
As for ancient Slavic calendar, then our ancestors used the following names of months:
Szechenie- from the word “cut” - to cut down a forest. Typically, forest felling to prepare new crop areas and harvest it for construction was carried out in winter. The month was also called “Prosinets”, due to the appearance of the blue sky after a long period of cloudiness.
Fierce– A month of snowstorms and frosts.
Berezen– the time of burning trees cut down in winter, mainly birch, for coal. It was also called “Dry”, based on the time the felled forest dried out or the ground dried out.
Pollen- month of flowering.
Traven– month of grass growth.
Cherven- from the word “worm”. The month of collecting insect pests in gardens and vegetable gardens; in the southern regions, the time of reddening of cherries.
Lipen– month of linden blossom.
Serpen- from the word “sickle”. It's harvest time.
Veresen– month of heather flowering.
Leaf fall- the time of yellowing and the beginning of leaf fall.
Breast- from the word “pile” - a frozen rut on the road.
Jelly– the name speaks for itself.
How and why are the months called? Slavic languages.
In many languages, including English and Russian, the names of the months have a Latin base. In Slavic languages, each month had its own name, and more than one.
January
Latin: Januarius. Named after the god Janus.
The Slavic name “Prosinets” - either from “to shine” - means the rebirth of the Sun, or from the appearing blue of the sky in January. The Little Russian name for January is “sochen”. After gray December, the colors of nature become rich and bright.
In Ukrainian the month is called "sichen"
In Belarusian - “stuzen”
February
Latin: Februarius. Named after the festival of the purification of Februa.
Slavic name "Sechen", "Bokogrey", "Vetroduy" and "Lute"
Time to cut trees to clear the land for arable land. Bokogray - the cattle comes out to bask in the sun. It was also called “low water” (the time between winter and spring). The winds in February whip with cold. But he’s still angry. Due to frequent blizzards and blizzards, February was also called “windstorm” and “lute”. In February there are major frosts, which are respectively called: Kashcheev (February 2), Velesov (February 11).
In the Ukrainian language the month is called "lyutiy"
In Belarusian it is "fierce"
March
Latin: Martius. Named after the god Mars.
The Slavic name is “Dry” - the ground dries from the falling snow.
This month was also called Zimobor, protalnik, berezozol (March). The indigenous Slavic-Russian names of this month in the old days in Rus' were different: in the north it was called dry or dry from the spring warmth, drying up all moisture, in the south - berezozol, from the action of the spring sun on the birch, which at this time begins to fill with sweet sap and sprouts buds. Zimobor - conquering winter, opening the way to spring and summer, thawed snow - this month the snow begins to melt, thawed patches and drops appear.
In the Ukrainian language the month is called “berezen”. Ukrainian spring comes earlier.
In Belarusian - "sakavik"
April
Latin: Aprilis. Named after the goddess Aphrodite or from the Latin word aperire - to open.
The ancient Russian names for the month of April were: brezen, snowgon - streams run, taking with them the remains of snow, or also - pollen, because it is then that the first trees begin to bloom, spring blooms.
In Ukrainian the month is called "kviten"
In Belarusian it means “handsome”. It’s beautiful in Belarus in April.
May
Latin: Maius. On behalf of the ancient Roman goddess of spring Maia.
The Slavic name is “Traven”, “herbal” - a riot of herbs and greenery. Nature is blooming.
In Ukrainian the month is called "traven"
In Belarusian - "May"
June
Latin: Junius. On behalf of the ancient Roman goddess Juno, wife of the god Jupiter.
In the old days, the indigenous Russian name for the month of June was izok. Izokom was the name given to a grasshopper, of which there was particular abundance this month. Another name for this month is worm, especially common among Little Russians, from chervetsa or worm; This is the name given to a special kind of dye worms that appear at this time. In addition, in the old days, the month of June was very often popularly called Kresnik - from the cross (fire), and at the same time from the day of John the Baptist (Ivan Kupala).
In Ukrainian the month is called "cherven"
In Belarusian - “cherven”
July
Latin: Julius. Named after Julius Caesar in 44 BC. Previously called quintilium from the word quintus - fifth, because it was the 5th month of the old Roman calendar. The year began with March.
In our old days, it was called, like June, - cherven - from fruits and berries, which, ripening in July, are distinguished by their particular reddishness (scarlet, red). This month is also called Lipets - from the linden tree, which usually appears in full bloom at this time. July is also called the “crown of summer”, since it is considered the last month of summer, or also a “sufferer” - from hard summer work, a “thunderstorm” - from strong thunderstorms.
In Ukrainian the month is called "Lipen"
In Belarusian - "lipen"
August
Latin: Augustus. Named after Emperor Augustus in 8 BC. Previously called sextilium from the word sextus - sixth, because it was the 6th month of the old Roman calendar. The year began with March.
The Slavic name "Serpen" means time to mow wheat. In the north it was called “glow” - from the radiance of lightning; in the south, “serpen” comes from a sickle used to remove grain from the fields. Often this month is given the name “Zornik”, in which one cannot help but see a modified old name “glow”. The name “stubble”, I think, would be unnecessary to explain.
In Ukrainian the month is called "serpen"
In Belarusian - almost the same - "zhniven"
September
Latin: September. From the word septem - seven, because it was the 7th month of the old Roman calendar. The year began with March.
In the old days, the original Russian name for the month was “ruin”, from the roar of autumn winds and animals, especially deer. He received the name “gloomy” due to his weather differences from others - the sky often begins to frown, it rains, autumn is coming in nature.
In the Ukrainian language the month is called "Verseny"
In Belarusian - “verasen”
October
Latin: October. From the word octo - eight, because it was the 8th month of the old Roman calendar. The year began with March.
The Slavic name is “Listopad” - well, everything is obvious here. It also bore the name “pazdernik” - from pazderi, kostriki, since in this month they begin to crush flax, hemp, and manners. Otherwise - a “dirty man”, from the autumn rains that cause bad weather and dirt, or a “wedding man” - from the weddings that are celebrated at this time in peasant life.
In Ukrainian the month is called "Zhovten"
In Belarusian - “kastrychnik”
November
Latin: November. From the word novem - nine, because it was the 9th month of the old Roman calendar. The year began with March.
Slavic name "Gruden". In the old days, this month was called the breast month itself, or chest month, from the piles of frozen earth with snow. In general, in the ancient Russian language, the frozen winter road was called the chest path. In the Dahl Dictionary, the regional word pile is “frozen ruts along the road, frozen hummocky dirt.”
In Ukrainian the month is called "leaf fall"
In Belarusian - “listapad”
December
Latin: December. From the word decem - ten, because it was the 10th month of the old Roman calendar. The year began with March.
The Slavic name "Studen" means a cold month, after all.
In Ukrainian the month is called "breast"
In Belarusian he is Snezhan