dies mali

I had not come across the word dreich before people began to use it on Blip. Apparently the word regularly tops the polls when it comes to the nation’s most expressive word. 

It has not been an entirely dreich day today, we have had a little brightness, so this is a photo of some of my newly sorted book shelves - all finished. Yes, I do have a lot of books and I am not for getting rid of many. I have been collecting fiction from the moment I could read, see all the Dickens novels bought from second hand books shops when I was very young, and I value each and every book there. Whilst we have a big house, I will hold onto my collection, fitting in or repurposing book shelves as necessary. When/if we move then it might be a different matter. 

So why ‘dreicht’?

Todays word, according to Suzie Dent, is dismal, which is a similarly used word, but which has an interesting history. Since ancient times the belief has persisted that certain days of the year are unlucky. Medieval calendars would mark these days - twenty four in total - with the letter D, short for dies Aegyptiaci, ‘Egyptian days, for the reason that these days had been precisely identified by Egyptian astrologers. No event of any importance would be scheduled on these days of malevolence, of which 4 February was one. 

Another term for these inauspicious times of year was even stronger: dies mali, ‘evil days’. The Latin phrase became in English ‘dismal’ and eventually it became the adjective meaning 'inspiring gloom and depression'. In other words, very dreicht. 

Sorry, a bit late to be warning you of this, but then who has important events scheduled anyway at the moment!