Mittwoch

German

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Middle High German mittewoche, from Old High German mittawehha (literally middle of the week), calqued on Ecclesiastical Latin media hebdomas (whence Dalmatian misedma). Equivalent to Mitte (mid, middle) +‎ Woche (week), becoming a masculine in Early Modern German after the other weekdays. Compare Middle Low German middewēke, English midweek. Originally meaning the middle between Sunday and Saturday, now often reinterpreted as the middle of the working week.

The original West Germanic word for Wednesday, *Wōdanas dag (Odin's day), had already been displaced in Old High German times. It is only attested in regional Middle High German as guotentac with g- for w- through dissimilation (likely reinforced by reinterpretation as “good day”). This survived until recently in Central Franconian Jodesdaach. See Wednesday for more.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈmɪtvɔx/, [ˈmɪt.vɔχ], [-ʋɔχ]
  • Audio:(file)

Noun

Mittwoch m (strong, genitive Mittwochs or (rare) Mittwoches, plural Mittwoche)

  1. Wednesday
    Synonyms: (rare, obsolete, Germanophile) Wotanstag, Wodenstag

Declension

Derived terms

See also

Further reading

Hunsrik

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈmitvox/
  • Rhymes: -itvox
  • Syllabification: Mitt‧woch

Noun

Mittwoch m (plural Mittwoch)

  1. Wednesday

See also

  • days of the week: Daagh fun de Woch (appendix): Sunntach · Montach · Dinstach · Mittwoch · Donnerstach · Freitach · Samstach [edit]

References

  • Piter Kehoma Boll (2021) “Mittwoch”, in Dicionário Hunsriqueano Riograndense–Português (in Portuguese), 3rd edition, Ivoti: Riograndenser Hunsrickisch, page 113, column 1

Pennsylvania German

Noun

Mittwoch m (plural Mittwoche)

  1. Wednesday

Coordinate terms

References

  • Earl C. Haag, Pennsylvania German Reader and Grammar (2010, →ISBN)