New file uploaded to gothic-l (Christmas and Yule)

[Ingemar Nordgren]

Hi Llama non,

You asked about the Swedish month-names. If we go back to the
Bondepraktika, which is not ON but just medieval we have:

January- Torsmånad
February- Göjemånad
March - Martius, Mars månad  (latin of course)
April - Aprilis, April månad (-"-            )
May - Majus, Maj månad       ( -"-           )
June -  Midsommarmånad (and Junius)
July -  Hömånad
August - Skördemånad
September - Höstmånad
October -  Slaktmånad
November - Vintermånad
December - Julmånad

Accordingly I fucked it up earlier with Göje and Slaughtermonth which
are February and October. 

Suggestion for May I would say Lövmånad/Leafmonth since e.g. Maypole
is understood as a leafed pole. May bis the rebirth of leafed plants.

March and April I do not really know but I think it should be natural
with 'vårmånad'-spring month for April?? 

I am a bit dubious concerning Tor in january since he is connected
with farming and specially ploughing in old  saywords.At Borholm it
says 'Three (plough)lines for Þórr give a green spring'. During the
Disting the first symbolic ploughlines were made with sacrifice of
bread to Freja. I would  rather have Torsmånad in March as a
preparation for sowing and January would fit better to e.g.
frostmånad-Frost month or better Midvintermånad-Mid Winter month since
the Midwinter feast/Disting starts its cycle 21 januari but during  an
8-years cycle it moves until 19 february.At the Disting the first
symbolic ploughglines were taken and hence Ploughmonth -Torsmonth
would fit rather well the following month and before sowing/planting
in 'Vårmånaden'(Spring month)

This, as I say, is a medieval naming being used until almost modern
times and hence there has been a lot of late influence on the naming.

Best
Ingemar

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