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Sæturnesdæg

Sæturnesdæg is the Old English name for the day now called Saturday. It literally means Saturn’s day and reflects the influence of the Roman seven-day week on the early English calendar.

Etymology and form: The name derives from the Latin dies Saturni. In Old English, forms such as

Transition to Modern English: Through the Middle English period, the form gradually shifted toward Saturday, with

Usage and context: In historical sources, Sæturnesdæg appears in calendars, glossaries, and religious writings of the

Sæternesdæg
and
Sæturnesdæg
are
attested
in
manuscripts
from
the
early
medieval
period.
The
term
is
part
of
the
planetary
naming
tradition
in
which
the
days
of
the
week
are
linked
to
celestial
bodies
or
deities
associated
with
them,
with
Saturn
serving
as
the
source
for
this
particular
day.
changes
in
spelling
and
pronunciation
leading
to
the
Early
Modern
English
form
Saturday.
The
meaning—Saturn’s
day—remained,
even
as
the
language
evolved
and
the
broader
cultural
context
of
the
week
shifted.
Anglo‑Saxon
world.
Today,
the
term
is
primarily
of
linguistic
and
historical
interest,
while
contemporary
English
uses
Saturday
as
the
standard
name
for
the
day.