While many Slavic languages officially use Latin-derived names for the months of the year in the Gregorian calendar, there is also a set of older names for the twelve months that differs from the Latin month names, as they are of Slavic origin. In some languages, such as the Serbian language these traditional names have since been archaized and are thus seldom used.
The original names of the months of the year in the Slavic languages closely follow natural occurrences such as weather patterns and conditions common for that period, as well as agricultural activities.
Many months have several alternative names in different regions; conversely, a single "Slavic name" may correspond to different "Roman names" (for different months, usually following each other) in different languages.
Comparison table The Slavic names of the months have been preserved by a number of Slavic people in a variety of languages. The conventional month names in some of these languages are mixed, including names which show the influence of the Germanic calendar (particularly Slovene, Sorbian, and Polabian) or names which are borrowed from the Gregorian calendar (particularly Polish and Kashubian), but they have been included here nonetheless.
In Latvian and Lithuanian, the Baltic names of the months are preserved, which partially coincide with the Slavic ones, which suggests that some of these names may date back to the time of Balto-Slavic linguistic unity. Latvian and Lithuanian names are also shown in this table for comparison.
Words are colored according to etymology.
+ Comparison of the traditional names for the twelve months in different Slavic languagesHauptova Z., editor (1958–1997) Slovník jazyka staroslověnského (Lexicon linguae palaeoslovenicae), Prague: Euroslavica Language January February March April May June July August September October November DecemberBelarusianUkrainian Rusyn Russianarchaic()()() Old East Slavic Old Church SlavonicBulgarianarchaicMacedonianarchaic Serbianarchaic CroatianSlovenearchaicSlovakarchaic()()()()()()()CzechPolish (archaic) (archaic) (archaic)Kashubian Upper Sorbianarchaic Lower Sorbianarchaic PolabianextinctLithuaniannon-Slavic Latvianarchaic, non-Slavic() * word of non-Slavic or non-Baltic origin
Croatian months The Croatian months used with the Gregorian calendar by Croats differ from the original Latin month names. While subject to variation over the earlier centuries, their names and order were standardised in the 1830s through the efforts of the Illyrian movement and its chief linguist Vjekoslav Babukić.
No. Latin name English name Croatian name Etymology 1 January from cutting or hewing wood but there are also dialectal terms with the meaning , so there is the possibility of the meaning (as there are several holidays celebrated in January) 2 February month in which days become longer, ; or , to indicate unstable weather 3 March lying month (; ), because the weather changes often 4 April from growing grass, 5 May from budding cornel tree, 6 June from linden tree, 7 July from reaping with a sickle, 8 August from driving a wagon (for harvest) — + 9 September from an archaic verb for deer roaring or from a poetic word for 10 October from falling leaves — + 11 November from cold, 12 December ; or from , greyish blue color
Czech months The names of Czech months are, as in Belarusian, Croatian, Kashubian, Polish, and Ukrainian, not based on the Latin names used in most European languages. The suffix -en is added to most of the months' names.
No. Latin name English name Czech name Etymology 1. January From , . 2. February Probably from the word root , infinitive form , , as the ice welters under the lake surface. 3. March Either from , , or from , , as the forest animals, mainly hares and rabbits, are pregnant at that time.Machek, 1968, in Václav Machek, Etymologický slovník jazyka českého, second edition, Academia, 1968 4. April Derived from , . 5. May From , . Originally , . The word first appeared in Jungmann's translation of Atala from 1805 as a poetism and translation for French (), but quickly gained acceptance. Jungmann was probably also influenced by the Polish word kwiecień (). 6. June Either from , , or from , , both related to fruit. 7. July The same as with a diminutive suffix , . 8. August From , - used for harvesting. 9. September From Old Czech , from . (See .) Folk etymology derives it from , . 10. October From , , the time when the – mainly deer – males want to couple. 11. November Literally . 12. December Either from , , possibly relating to holidays at this time, or from , , from , , because the sky is usually pallid at this time.
Macedonian months
The Macedonian language has two sets of names of the months of the Gregorian calendar. The most commonly used set of names is derived from the Latin month names and these are used by the vast majority of the Macedonian population. However, there is also a set of older names for the twelve months of Slavic origin that differ from the Latin month names, although their usage is archaized and largely restricted to folk literature and religious calendars issued by the Macedonian Orthodox Church.
The origin of the Macedonian month names is closely related to the agricultural activities that occur in the corresponding period, or to the weather conditions common for that period. Some months have alternative names in different regions. The usage of modern Latin month names among Macedonians started towards the end of the 19th century, as a result of mass education.
No. Latin name English name Macedonian Cyrillic Macedonian Latin Old Macedonian name Transliteration Etymology 1. January Month of burning tree trunks 2. February Month of ice 3. March Month of blossoming 4. April Month of grass 5. May Time of flowering grasses and shrubs 6. June Time of maturity of the first yield of fruits 7. July Golden month 8. August Month of wheat 9. September Month of harvesting grapes 10. October Month of leaves falling 11. November Month of cold 12. December Month of snow
Polish months The names of Polish months are, as in Belarusian, Croatian, Czech, Kashubian, and Ukrainian, not based on the Latin names used in most European languages, with the exception of March and May, which were borrowed from the Gregorian calendar.
No. Latin name English name Polish name Etymology 1. January Inherited from Old Polish , from Proto-Slavic (), derived from Proto-Slavic (), from Proto-Slavic (), with -ty- possibly by influence from the word (). 2. February Inherited from Old Polish , from Proto-Slavic (). 3. March Borrowed from Middle High German , from Old High German , from Latin (). Displaced Old Polish . 4. April Inherited from Proto-Slavic , derived from Proto-Slavic (). Diplaced Old Polish . 5. May Borrowed from Latin (). Diplaced Old Polish . 6. June Inherited from Old Polish . By surface analysis, from () + . Diplaced Old Polish possibly under influence of and later . 7. July Inherited from Proto-Slavic . By surface analysis, from () + . Diplaced Old Polish . 8. August Inherited from Proto-Slavic . By surface analysis, from () + . 9. September Derived from () + . 10. October Derived from () + . 11. November Inherited from Proto-Slavic . By surface analysis, from () + + (). 12. December Inherited from Proto-Slavic . By surface analysis, from () + .
Russian months The names of Russian months are used with the Gregorian calendar by the vast majority of the Russian population. The most of names for the twelve months of Slavic origin that is differ from the Latin month names and standardized set of archaic that issued by Old Church Slavonic. No.Latin nameEnglish nameRussian CyrillicRussian LatinRussian name (archaic)TransliterationEtymology1.JanuaryMonth of cutting wood2.FebruaryMonth of harshing3.MarchMonth of birch4.April ()Month of blossoming5.MayMonth of grass6.JuneMonth of gules7.July ()Month of linden tree8.AugustMonth of sickle9.SeptemberMonth of heather10.October ()Month of leaves falling11.NovemberMonth of heap12.DecemberMonth of cold
Slovene months
Many of the names in the standardized set of archaic Slovene month names first occur in the Škofja Loka manuscript, written in 1466 by Martin of Loka.
No. Latin name English name Slovene name Slovene name (archaic) Etymology 1. January '(sun) shining through';Snoj, Marko. 2003. Slovenski etimološki slovar. 2nd edition. Ljubljana: Modrijan.Vaštíková, Zuzana. 2012. Slovinské a české pranostiky. Brno: Masarykova univerzita, Filozofická fakulta, Ústav slavistiky. 2. February perhaps 'dry' or 'cut' (influenced by svečnica 'Candlemas'); 3. March '(earth) dry (enough for cultivation)'; 4. April 'small grass'; 5. May 'large grass'; 6. June 'flowers' (a translation of German Rosenmonat); 7. July 'small sickle' (i.e., reaping); 8. August 'large sickle' (i.e., reaping); 9. September 'nodding (fruit)'; 10. October 'wine flowing' (a translation of German Weinmonat); 11. November 'falling leaves'; 12. December 'biting (cold)' or 'clumped (earth)';
Ukrainian months The names of the months in Standard Ukrainian are all derived from Slavic roots with no Latin borrowings. The suffix (-en) is added to most of the months' names. In some regions of Ukraine, Latin month names are used vernacularly, along with the Slavic ones, reflecting the traditional regional calendrical practices of previous centuries.Українське небо. Студії над історією астрономії в Україні : збірник наукових праць / за заг. ред. О. Петрука. – Львів: Інститут прикладних проблем механіки і математики ім. Я. С. Підстригача НАН України, 2014, c. 181: "Латинські назви місяців використовувалися переважно у традиційних формулах датування. Проте, в окремих регіонах України деякі латинські назви збереглися в розмовному обігу до цього часу."
№ Months Transliteration EtymologyEnglish nameUkrainian name 1. January Derives from – , which is itself derived from (of the same meaning).Сѣча // Матеріалы для словаря древне-русскаго языка по письменнымъ памятникамъ : въ 3 т. / Трудъ И. И. Срезневскаго. — : Типографія императорской академіи наукъ, 1890—1912. — Т. 3. — С. 903.Материалы для словаря древнерусского языка по письменным памятникам, том 3 It is a reference to slash-and-burn agricultural practice. 2. February (arch. ) Derives from – . It was called so due to an extremely cold temperatures. Both names were used simultaneously up to the first half of the 20th century, but the simplified adjective form prevailed eventually. 3. March Derives from – . Birches usually begin to bloom in the end of March, which is also a time of birch sap collection. 4. April Derives from – . It was called so due to the intensive blooming of most known species of flowers, growing in Ukraine. It also has connections with the birch bloom. 5. May From – . The name comes from various grasses that abundantly cover the earth with green growth in this months. 6. June From – , a bug active in the first half of summer. The month used to share this name with the bug previously. 7. July From – . This name is associated with the exuberant flowering of linden trees and the period of collecting linden honey. 8. August From – . This month marks the start of grain harvest in Ukraine. Sickle is the most known tool used in this process. 9. September veresen' From – . Heather is a honey plant, which usually begins to bloom in the start of this month. 10. October From – . This name comes from the autumn yellowing of leaves. 11. November Literally . It is a combination of the Ukrainian words and – and , respectively. 12. December From – . A reference to snow conditions during the month.
See also Lithuanian calendar Slavic Native Faith's calendars and holidays Germanic calendar Julian calendar Romanian calendar Slovene months
Notes
References
External links
http://projetbabel.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7222 – A comprehensive table of Slavic and Baltic month names, explanation in French