An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Dienstag
Dienstag, m., ‘Tuesday,’ a West Teut. 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 OTeut. god Tiu, to whom the day was sacred; OIc. Týsdagr, AS. Tîwesdœg, E. Tuesday, preserve this name in the gen. (comp. Goth. baurgswaddjus, just as if Burgsmauer were used for Burgmauer; see Nachtigall). OHG. Zio (OIc. Týr) is a primit. deity whose worship the Teutons brought with them from their Asiatic home; it is identical with Gr. Ζεύς (for δjεύς), gen. Διός (for διϝός, hence corresponding to Goth. *Tius-dags); Lat. Jupiter, Jovis (for *djovis); Sans. Djâus, gen. Divás; orig. 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, OHG. Zio, ‘Tuesday’ in OAlem. is termed (OHG.) Ziostac, (MidHG.) Ziestac (Ziestag in Hebel). Another appellation is the OBav. Ertac (Erchtag), instead of which, on the adoption of Christianity in the east of Suabia, the word aftermœntig, ‘after Monday,’ was introduced. In the Franc. and Sax. 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 OTeut. Tiu, who in a Teut.-Lat. inscription is designated Mars Thingsus. Thinx is the Lomb. term for Ding, ‘assembly of the people,’ hence Thinxus, the god of the assemblies. Among the Sax., Fris., and Francon. tribes Tuesday was sacred to this god; comp. MidDu. dinxendach, MidLG. dingsedach, earlier ModHG. dingsdag.