Thursday, March 21, 2013

Tuesday, Tiw, Dieu and Jew

Over the last year or so I've been interested in the etymology of the words Jew, Druid and David. I ended up down this track due to my interest in revisionist history and a vague notion that the Druids and Jews of old were possibly one and the same people (or at least two related branches of a common cultural phenomena). I felt that it was possible that all three words had a common origin. It also occurred to me that the French word for God, Dieu, sounded almost identical to the word Jew.

Anyhow, this week I've been looking at the god Tiw (or Týr). This god apparently lent his name to Tuesday - Tiw's day. Therefore I'm gonna guess that his name is pronounced Tue to rhyme with Jew. He's supposedly the god of law and heroic glory. He's also often depicted with his right hand missing (in lore bitten off by a wolf).

He's always struck me as a bit of a mystery. All the other gods that gave names to weekdays seem so much more well known.

Sunday - Sun Day
Monday - Moon Day
Tuesdays - Tiw's Day
Wednesday - Woden's Day
Thursday - Thor's Day
Friday - Freyja's Day
Saturday - Saturn Day
(I think)

"Who the hell's Tiw?"

Wikipedia says that Tiw was originally just a generic name for god;
Týr in origin was a generic noun meaning "god", e.g. Hangatyr, literally, the "god of the hanged", as one of Odin's names, which was probably inherited from Tyr in his role as god of justice.
Seems like there's a mystery lurking.

I also came across this blog that seems to touch on a similar theme;
herman newt and his scaly mates

For the time being I shall be referring to Tuesday as Dieu's Day though. Adieu.