Editor's Corner

Hello, and happy day of Thor!

We Americans like Thor. I wonder why?

As with Tuesday and Wednesday, English has strayed from the Romance languages with our name for Thursday, too. According to Dictionary.com:

The first records of Thursday come from before 950. It comes from the Old English Thursdæg, from Old Danish Thūrsdagr, meaning “Thor‘s day.” This is a translation of (or is modeled on) the Latin term diēs Jovis, meaning “Jupiter’s day.” In many Germanic languages, the Roman god Jupiter was subbed out in favor of Thor, the hammer-wielding god of thunder in Norse mythology.

In Christianity, Holy Thursday is the Thursday before Easter, marking the day on which the Last Supper is believed to have taken place.

In the U.S., the only national holiday to fall exclusively on a Thursday is Thanksgiving, which is observed on the fourth Thursday of November.

So, we have named our day after Thor, a hammer-wielding god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred groves and trees, strength, the protection of mankind, hallowing, and fertility, according to Wikipedia. Similarly, the Romans, Spanish, French, Italian, and Romanians have named their Thursday after Jupiter, by Jove, the god of thunder, lighting, and the sky. Same god, same day, different names.

I hope you have a great day without too much hammer-wielding and thunder!

Thor, in battle

Kronos, time god

Kara Church | Technical Editor, Advisory | Technical Publications

Pronouns: she/her | (619) 542-6773 | jackhenry.com

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