Thursday

Thursday, bavarian also Pfinztag, is the fourth (and therefore average ) weekday of the civil calendar according to internationally standardized counting ( ISO 8601 ), which defines Monday as the start of the week. According to the Christian, Jewish and Islamic count, which sets the beginning of the week on Sunday, he is the fifth day. The first Thursday of the year sets the first calendar week.

Etymology

Thursday is named after the Germanic god of thunder, Thor, Thor. In German, the name is attested since the Old High German OHG phase donrestac in Notker as toniristac. Other forms in Germanic languages ​​are: Dutch Central donresdach, Old Frisian Thunersdei, North Frisian Tuers dei, English Thursday, Danish Torsdag. The day was named in antiquity after the god Jupiter and the planet Jupiter (Latin: This Iovis, it also French jeudi, Spanish jueves, Italian giovedì ). With the acquisition of the original Babylonian 7 -day week by the Germans Thursday was formed in analogy to this Iovis.

In the Bavarian language area there is still the form Pfinztag, borrowed from Greek pempte hemera ( " fifth day " ), with the purpose to eliminate the pagan reference to the god of thunder. The loanword probably came about Gothic placement into Bairische.

Colloquially, Thursday is also called "little Friday" and brings the anticipation for the upcoming weekend for expression.

In the canton of Valais in Switzerland Thursday was formerly also called Frontag. This name referred to the amount payable to this day drudgery, which was to provide the landlord or for the care of the commons.