August
eighth month, 1097, from Latin Augustus (mensis), sixth month of the later Roman calendar, renamed from Sextilis in 8 B.C.E. to honor emperor Augustus Caesar, literally "Venerable Caesar" (see august (adj.)). In England, the name replaced native Weodmonað "weed month."
August = Weed month: lol, but too brutally literal, like all Germanic languages. None of those pussyfooting euphemisms.
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Added:
A discussion of the Anglo-Saxon names of the months.
3 comments:
I knew about August, I did not know about weed month.
Of course, in Colorado and Washington it is the latter.
Here, it's crabgrass month.
I like how there is often two words in English for the same thing, one of French origin and the other German. Steps/stairs, soil/dirt, etc.
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