An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Dienstag

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Dienstag, masculine, ‘Tuesday,’ a West Teutonic word, which has quite as important a bearing upon the religious views of the Teutons as Ostern. Originally there were three names for the day. One contains in the first component of the compound the name of the Old Teutonic god Tiu, to whom the day was sacred; Old Icelandic Týsdagr, Anglo-Saxon Tîwesdœg, English Tuesday, preserve this name in the genitive (compare Gothic baurgswaddjus, just as if Burgsmauer were used for Burgmauer; see Nachtigall). Old High German Zio (Old Icelandic Týr) is a primitive deity whose worship the Teutons brought with them from their Asiatic home; it is identical with Greek Ζεύς (for δjεύς), genitive Διός (for διϝός, hence corresponding to Gothic *Tius-dags); Latin Jupiter, Jovis (for *djovis); Sanscrit Djâus, genitive Divás; originally the word meant simply ‘sky,’ then the sky personified as a god. Among the Teutons Tiu appears as a god of war; this change of meaning is explained by the supposition that Tiu, corresponding to the Greek Zeus, was at first regarded simply as the chief god, but was afterwards connected with the main occupation of our ancestors, i.e. war (see kühn). From Tiu, Old High German Zio, ‘Tuesday’ in OAlem. is termed (Old High German) Ziostac, (Middle High German) Ziestac (Ziestag in Hebel). Another appellation is the Old Bavarian Ertac (Erchtag), instead of which, on the adoption of Christianity in the east of Suabia, the word aftermœntig, ‘after Monday,’ was introduced. In the Franconian and Saxon dialects the term dingestag has existed from time immemorial, and was at one time incorrectly thought to mean ‘court-day’ (see Ding). The latter word, however, is based rather on an attribute of the Old Teutonic Tiu, who in a Teutonic-Latin inscription is designated Mars Thingsus. Thinx is the Lombardic term for Ding, ‘assembly of the people,’ hence Thinxus, the god of the assemblies. Among the Saxon, Frisian, and Franconian tribes Tuesday was sacred to this god; compare Middle Dutch dinxendach, Middle Low German dingsedach, earlier Modern High German dingsdag.