Mersday

From Tolkien Gateway
Days in the Shire Calendar
  1. Sterday
  2. Sunday
  3. Monday
  4. Trewsday
  5. Hevensday
  6. Mersday
  7. Highday

Mersday was the sixth day of the week in the Shire Calendar. It represented the Númenórean day Oraearon, dedicated to the Sea.[1]

After the reform of Isengrim Took II,[1] dates such as 1 March and 1 September always fell on Mersday.

Etymology[edit | edit source]

Mersday represents an archaic Hobbitish form "Meresdei", a word preserved in the Yellowskin.[1] It contains the Old English element mere, mer- "lake, pool; sea".

Mersday is translated as Thursday in The Lord of the Rings, however as it was one day before the chief day of the week, it rather corresponded to our Saturday. For this reason there was one exception, and in the poem The Man in the Moon Stayed Up Too Late, Mersday was translated as "Saturday" instead of Thursday.[1][2]

References

The Days of the Week in Arda
 Elvish week (Quenya):  1. Elenya 2. Anarya 3. Isilya 4. Aldúya 5. Menelya 6. Valanya (Tárion)
Elvish week (Sindarin):  1. Orgilion 2. Oranor 3. Orithil 4. Orgaladhad 5. Ormenel 6. Orbelain (Rodyn)
Númenórean week (Quenya):  1. Elenya 2. Anarya 3. Isilya 4. Aldëa 5. Menelya 6. Eärenya 7. Valanya
Númenórean week (Sindarin):  1. Orgilion 2. Oranor 3. Orithil 4. Orgaladh 5. Ormenel 6. Oraearon 7. Orbelain
Hobbit week (archaic):  1. Sterrendei 2. Sunnendei 3. Monendei 4. Trewesdei 5. Hevenesdei 6. Meresdei 7. Hihdei
Hobbit week (late T.A.):  1. Sterday 2. Sunday 3. Monday 4. Trewsday 5. Hevensday (Hensday) 6. Mersday 7. Highday