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ArchivesGender of "moon" and "sun" in different languages?
Unlike in German or Hebrew the moon is feminine and the sun is masculine in many languages. I would like to know in which ones it is which way? So if I could get as many languages as possible …
(I need this for a newspaper article on the name SELINA)
Thanks a lot!
Andy ;—)
(I need this for a newspaper article on the name SELINA)
Thanks a lot!
Andy ;—)
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Replies
in Dutch moon = maan is feminine and it is from the Greek woord 'mènè'
sun = zon and it is feminine as well
note: but 'sun' and 'moon' may be spoken of in a masculine way too, i.e. you may 'him' about both too
e.g.: the sun is hot, i don't like her/him
sun = zon and it is feminine as well
note: but 'sun' and 'moon' may be spoken of in a masculine way too, i.e. you may 'him' about both too
e.g.: the sun is hot, i don't like her/him
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Thank you all for your help! Now what do you think: Is it correct to say that in most languages the moon is feminine and the sun is masculine?
Andy ;—)
Andy ;—)
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It would make sense to me - not only is the sun obviously the more powerful of the two, but the moon has an equally clear link to female fertility. So, in languages whose speakers had worked that out, the moon = female connection would seem logical. (Also accounts for how the moon goddesses tend to be virgins - pale, cold - but patronesses of childbirth!)
Dear me, this has got to be the least politically correct piece I've ever posted. The feminazis will be on my trail!
Dear me, this has got to be the least politically correct piece I've ever posted. The feminazis will be on my trail!
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Feminazi? LOL excellent word
I've searched it on google and there's a site called www.feminazi.com LOL I didn't check it though.
I've searched it on google and there's a site called www.feminazi.com LOL I didn't check it though.
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May Selene protect you from them all
n
n
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I think so.
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I looked up Basque mythology in pantheon.org, and found that the moon and the sun are not only both female, they're daughters of the Earth (or perhaps of the cosmos ... gets a bit confusing at that point!).
Anyway, moon = Ilazki and sun = Ekhi, it seems. And the Earth is Lur.
A far cry from Selina, but fun!
Anyway, moon = Ilazki and sun = Ekhi, it seems. And the Earth is Lur.
A far cry from Selina, but fun!
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In Hebrew the moon is called either YARE'ACH which is masculine or the more poetic LAVANA ("white one") which is feminine.
The sun also has two names: SHEMSH and the poetic CHAMA ("hot one"). Both are feminine.
The sun also has two names: SHEMSH and the poetic CHAMA ("hot one"). Both are feminine.
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Thank you, Oren, for your contribution!
Obviously you are Israeli, so I have one question: Do you know a good Israeli name book? I got friends in Israel, but they were not able to find one.
Thanks!
Andy ;—)
Obviously you are Israeli, so I have one question: Do you know a good Israeli name book? I got friends in Israel, but they were not able to find one.
Thanks!
Andy ;—)
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Rivka Giladi has two books of names (SHEFER HA-SHEMOT), one in hebrew and another in hebrew and english. It's by S.Zack publishing (http://www.zack.co.il), a Jerusalem publishing house specializing in linguistics-related books. I don't know if it's still in print.
Correction: it's LEVANA, not LAVANA.
Correction: it's LEVANA, not LAVANA.
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Thanks alot!
Andy ;—)
Andy ;—)
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Moon is female and sun is male in French (moon = lune, sun = soleil).
In Yiddish both are feminine: die (or ha) Sune (zoo-nuh) and die (or ha) Levone.
In Judeo Spanish moon is feminine and sun masculine: la luna (the moon) and el sol (the sun).
In Yiddish both are feminine: die (or ha) Sune (zoo-nuh) and die (or ha) Levone.
In Judeo Spanish moon is feminine and sun masculine: la luna (the moon) and el sol (the sun).
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In Polish sun is neuter, and moon is masculine.
Both usually have a male personification.
Rosomaqa
Both usually have a male personification.
Rosomaqa
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Rosomaqa wrote: "In Polish sun is neuter, and moon is masculine.
Both usually have a male personification. "
The same is true for most Slavic languages.
In both Latin and Greek, sun is masculine and moon is feminine. Therefore, the same is true for the Romance languages.
Both usually have a male personification. "
The same is true for most Slavic languages.
In both Latin and Greek, sun is masculine and moon is feminine. Therefore, the same is true for the Romance languages.
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