Fun Stuff: Calendar

Course Index   
 

Extra Material If You Are Interested. This lesson is optional.

Seasons

Elves use six “seasons”, and don't use months.

   early spring:  coirë (“stirring”)

   spring:       tuilë (“sprouting”)

   summer:     lairë (“growing”, “greenness”)

   autumn:      yávië (“harvest”)

   late autumn:  lassë lanta (“leaf-fall”); or quellë (“fading”); or narqelion (“sun-fading”)

   winter:       hrívë

Months

The Númenoreans had Quenya names for the months.  Their calendar — which started on the winter solstice — is not exactly aligned with our calendar.   The Númenorean month starts roughly 10 days early than our modern month.  But it is reasonable to translate our months using these names.

1^st month (“January”):         Narvinyë    (“new sun”)

2^nd month (“February”):      Nénimë      (“wet”)

3^rd month (“March”):           Súlimë        (“windy”)

4^th month (“April”):              Víressë

5^th month (“May”):               Lótessë       (“flower”)

6^th month (“June”):              Nárië          (“sunny”)

7^th month (“July”):                Cermië

8^th month (“August”):          Úrimë        (“hot”)

9^th month (“September”):   Yavannië   (“harvest”)

10^th month (“October”):      Narquelië  (“sun fading”)

11^th month (“November”):  Hísimë       (“foggy”)

12^th month (“December”):  Ringarë      (“cold”)

This Númenorean calendar (give or take a couple calendar reforms which made all months 30 days long, and adjusted some holidays) is the basis of most Human and hobbit calendars in the Third Age.

“Nár” (fire) is closely related to “Anar” (Sun).  The months “Narvinyë”, “Nárië”, and “Narquelië” refer to the Sun, rather than literally fire.   Possibly you could say the Sun is named “The Fire”.

Days of the Week

The Elves, who were fond of groups of 6, had a six-day week.  

The Elves of Aman named the fourth day after the Two Trees.  

The Númenoreans added an extra day, in honor of the Sea, bringing the week to seven days.  They renamed the fourth day to honor the White Tree.  

If you are using these names to translate our weekdays, “Sun-day” and “Moon-day” correspond to Sunday and Monday, and the rest of the days follow in order.

1^st day (stars):              Elenya                       (“Saturday”)

2^nd day (sun):               Anarya                     (“Sunday”)

3^rd day (moon):           Isilya                         (“Monday”)

4^th day (two trees):     Aldúya;  4^th day (white tree):  Aldëa   (“Tuesday”)

5^th day (heavens):       Menelya                    (“Wednesday”)

6^th day (sea):                Eärenya                    (“Thursday”)

6^th/7^th day (Valar):  Valanya or Tárion     (“Friday”)

Holidays:

first day of the year:   yestarë (winter solstice)

spring holiday:            tuilérë

summer solstice:         loëndë

autumn holiday:         yáviérë

last day of the year:    mettarë