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'''Mersday''' was the sixth day of the week in the [[Shire Calendar]]. ''Mersday'' is translated as Thursday in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''.
'''Mersday''' was the sixth day of the week in the [[Shire Calendar]]. It represented the [[Númenórean]] day ''[[Oraearon]]'', dedicated to the [[Sea]].<ref name=cal>{{App|Calendars}}</ref>


Originally there was a six-day week - as [[Elves]] liked to reckon in sixes and twelves - but the [[Númenóreans]] desired a seven-day week so they inserted an extra day after [[Hevensday|Heaven's Day]]. As they were great mariners they dedicated it to the sea, naming it ''[[Eärenya]]'' in [[Quenya]] (or ''[[Oraearon]]'' in [[Sindarin]]).
After the reform of [[Isengrim Took II]],<ref name=cal/> dates such as [[1 March]] and [[1 September]] always fell on Mersday.


The [[Hobbits]] inherited the seven-day week from the [[Men of the North (Third Age)|Men of the North]] and ''Eärenya'' originally became ''Meresdei'' before it was later known as ''Mersday''.<ref>{{App|Calendars}}</ref>
==Etymology==
''Mersday'' represents an archaic [[Hobbitish]] form "Meresdei", a word preserved in the [[Yellowskin]].<ref name=cal/> It contains the [[Old English]] element ''[[wiktionary:mere#Old_English|mere, mer-]]'' "lake, pool; sea".
 
''Mersday'' is translated as Thursday in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', however as it was one day before the chief day of the week, it rather corresponded to our Saturday. For this reason there was one exception, and in the poem ''[[The Man in the Moon Stayed Up Too Late]]'', Mersday was translated as "Saturday" instead of Thursday.<ref name=cal/><ref>{{FR|Sign}}</ref>


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[[Category:Hobbit Calendar]]
[[Category:Hobbit Calendar]]

Latest revision as of 08:20, 20 August 2023

Days in the Shire Calendar
  1. Sterday
  2. Sunday
  3. Monday
  4. Trewsday
  5. Hevensday
  6. Mersday
  7. Highday

Mersday was the sixth day of the week in the Shire Calendar. It represented the Númenórean day Oraearon, dedicated to the Sea.[1]

After the reform of Isengrim Took II,[1] dates such as 1 March and 1 September always fell on Mersday.

Etymology[edit | edit source]

Mersday represents an archaic Hobbitish form "Meresdei", a word preserved in the Yellowskin.[1] It contains the Old English element mere, mer- "lake, pool; sea".

Mersday is translated as Thursday in The Lord of the Rings, however as it was one day before the chief day of the week, it rather corresponded to our Saturday. For this reason there was one exception, and in the poem The Man in the Moon Stayed Up Too Late, Mersday was translated as "Saturday" instead of Thursday.[1][2]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix D, "The Calendars"
  2. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "At the Sign of the Prancing Pony"
The Days of the Week in Arda
 Elvish week (Quenya):  1. Elenya 2. Anarya 3. Isilya 4. Aldúya 5. Menelya 6. Valanya (Tárion)
Elvish week (Sindarin):  1. Orgilion 2. Oranor 3. Orithil 4. Orgaladhad 5. Ormenel 6. Orbelain (Rodyn)
Númenórean week (Quenya):  1. Elenya 2. Anarya 3. Isilya 4. Aldëa 5. Menelya 6. Eärenya 7. Valanya
Númenórean week (Sindarin):  1. Orgilion 2. Oranor 3. Orithil 4. Orgaladh 5. Ormenel 6. Oraearon 7. Orbelain
Hobbit week (archaic):  1. Sterrendei 2. Sunnendei 3. Monendei 4. Trewesdei 5. Hevenesdei 6. Meresdei 7. Hihdei
Hobbit week (late T.A.):  1. Sterday 2. Sunday 3. Monday 4. Trewsday 5. Hevensday (Hensday) 6. Mersday 7. Highday
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