Otsola

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otsola is a Qenya name for the "week". J.R.R. Tolkien envisioned the elvish week as having seven days, like our own, and provided Qenya and Gnomish names for the weekdays.[1]

Qenya Dedication "Translation"
Poldōrien poldor "strength"; Poldórëa being an early epithet of Tulkas "Sunday"
Mūrien (replaced earlier Olōrien) Sleep or dreams "Monday"
Fuinen Death or sorrow, Fui being an early name of Nienna "Tuesday"
Taimoinen taime "sky" "Wednesday"
Falassien The Sea, cf. Quenya falasse "Thursday"
Palūrien The wide earth; Palúrien being also an early epithet of Yavanna "Friday"
Sainen "fire" "Saturday"

Etymology

Otsola contains otso "seven" and galā "daytime" (cf. later Quenya cala). Its Gnomish translation is othlad (odin "seven"), and Tolkien derives it from Primitive Elvish *ot·g’lāta.[2]

Other versions of the legendarium

An early name for otsola is otsan.[3] Earlier Gnomish name is oglad.[2]

In The Etymologies Tolkien wrote about the five-day week called lemnar. In the background of The Lord of the Rings however the Elves use the six-day week called enquië in Quenya. The Men use a seven-day week,[4] but the elvish term is not given.

References