Slavic calendar

Template:Short description Template:DMCA 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 languages

Language	January	February	March	April	May	June	July	August	September	October	November	December
Belarusian	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang* *	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang
					Template:Wikt-lang
Ukrainian	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang		Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang
		Template:Wikt-lang
Rusyn		Template:Wikt-lang		Template:Wikt-lang						Template:Wikt-lang
Russian archaic	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang (Template:Wikt-lang)			Template:Wikt-lang (Template:Wikt-lang)			Template:Wikt-lang (Template:Wikt-lang)	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang
Old East Slavic	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang
Old Church Slavonic	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang
Bulgarian archaic	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang
Macedonian archaic	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang		Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang
Serbian archaic			Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang				Template:Wikt-lang* *
Croatian	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang		Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang
Slovene archaic	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang
Slovak archaic			()	()	()	()	()	()				()
Czech
Polish			*		*
			(archaic)		(archaic)
				(archaic)
Kashubian					*
Upper Sorbian archaic
Lower Sorbian archaic
Polabian extinct
Lithuanian non-Slavic
Latvian archaic, 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 'festive', so there is the possibility of the meaning 'festive month' (as there are several holidays celebrated in January)
2		February		month in which days become longer, 'to get bigger'; or 'to wallow, to roll' , to indicate unstable weather
3		March		lying month (; 'a lie'), 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) — 'wheel' + 'drive'
9		September		from an archaic verb for deer roaring or from a poetic word for 'blushing, rosy'
10		October		from falling leaves — 'leaf' + 'fall'
11		November		from cold,
12		December		'the beginning of the Sun's shining, to dawn' ; 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 , 'ice'.
2.		February		Probably from the word root , infinitive form , 'to plunge, to welter', as the ice welters under the lake surface.
3.		March		Either from , 'birch', or from , 'gravid, with young', as the forest animals, mainly hares and rabbits, are pregnant at that time.
4.		April		Derived from , 'oak'.
5.		May		From , 'blossom'. Originally , 'May'. The word first appeared in Jungmann's translation of Atala from 1805 as a poetism and translation for French ('month of flowers'), but quickly gained acceptance. Jungmann was probably also influenced by the Polish word kwiecień ('April').
6.		June		Either from , 'red', or from , 'worm', both related to fruit.
7.		July		The same as with a diminutive suffix , Template:Lit.
8.		August		From , 'sickle' - used for harvesting.
9.		September		From Old Czech , from . (See .) Folk etymology derives it from , 'to blaze, glow, radiate, shine'.
10.		October		From , 'rutting', the time when the – mainly deer – males want to couple.
11.		November		Literally 'leaf-fall'.
12.		December		Either from , 'to pray, beg, to ask, to plead', possibly relating to holidays at this time, or from , 'pallid', from , 'deep blue', 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 ('winter month of cutting wood'), derived from Proto-Slavic ('cutting wood'), from Proto-Slavic ('to cut'), with -ty- possibly by influence from the word ('pole, rod, branch, beam').
2.		February		Inherited from Old Polish , from Proto-Slavic ('harsh, cruel, severe').
3.		March		Borrowed from Middle High German , from Old High German , from Latin ('of or belonging to Mars, the god of war'). Displaced Old Polish .
4.		April		Inherited from Proto-Slavic , derived from Proto-Slavic ('flower'). Diplaced Old Polish .
5.		May		Borrowed from Latin ('of or belonging to Maia, the goddess of growth'). Diplaced Old Polish .
6.		June		Inherited from Old Polish . By surface analysis, from ('maggot; red dye made from bugs') + . Diplaced Old Polish possibly under influence of and later .
7.		July		Inherited from Proto-Slavic . By surface analysis, from ('linden, lime-tree, basswood') + . Diplaced Old Polish .
8.		August		Inherited from Proto-Slavic . By surface analysis, from ('sickle') + .
9.		September		Derived from ('heather') + .
10.		October		Derived from ('boon, hurds, shives, shoves') + .
11.		November		Inherited from Proto-Slavic . By surface analysis, from ('leaf') + + ('to fall').
12.		December		Inherited from Proto-Slavic . By surface analysis, from ('clod, heap, lump') + .

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 name	English name	Russian Cyrillic	Russian Latin	Russian name (archaic)	Transliteration	Etymology
1.		January					Month of cutting wood
2.		February					Month of harshing
3.		March					Month of birch
4.		April			()		Month of blossoming
5.		May					Month of grass
6.		June					Month of gules
7.		July			()		Month of linden tree
8.		August					Month of sickle
9.		September					Month of heather
10.		October			()		Month of leaves falling
11.		November					Month of heap
12.		December					Month of cold

Slovene months

Template:Main article 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';
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.

№	Months		Transliteration	Etymology
	English name	Ukrainian name
1.	January			Derives from Template:Langx – 'place, cleared from trees and plants', which is itself derived from Template:Langx (of the same meaning). It is a reference to slash-and-burn agricultural practice.
2.	February	(arch. )		Derives from Template:Langx – 'fierce, savage'. 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 Template:Langx – 'birch'. Birches usually begin to bloom in the end of March, which is also a time of birch sap collection.
4.	April			Derives from Template:Langx – 'bloom'. 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 Template:Langx – 'grass'. The name comes from various grasses that abundantly cover the earth with green growth in this months.
6.	June			From Template:Langx – 'cochineal', a bug active in the first half of summer. The month used to share this name with the bug previously.
7.	July			From Template:Langx – 'linden'. This name is associated with the exuberant flowering of linden trees and the period of collecting linden honey.
8.	August			From Template:Langx – 'sickle'. This month marks the start of grain harvest in Ukraine. Sickle is the most known tool used in this process.
9.	September		veresen	From Template:Langx – 'heather'. Heather is a honey plant, which usually begins to bloom in the start of this month.
10.	October			From Template:Langx – 'yellow'. This name comes from the autumn yellowing of leaves.
11.	November			Literally 'leaf-fall'. It is a combination of the Ukrainian words and – 'leaves' and 'fall', respectively.
12.	December			From Template:Langx – 'lump'. 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

External links

• http://projetbabel.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7222 – A comprehensive table of Slavic and Baltic month names, explanation in French
• http://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com/display.asp?linkpath=pages\M\O\Monthsoftheyear.htm