In this article, we will take a closer look at Fortnight, a topic that has captured the attention of many people in recent years. From its impact on society to its implications on daily life, Fortnight has been the focus of numerous debates and discussions. Throughout this article, we will examine different perspectives and opinions on Fortnight, as well as its possible implications for the future. Through detailed and comprehensive analysis, we hope to provide a comprehensive view of Fortnight and its relevance in the contemporary world.
A fortnight is a unit of time equal to 14 days (two weeks). The word derives from the Old English term fēowertīene niht, meaning "fourteen nights" (or "fourteen days", since the Anglo-Saxons counted by nights).
In astronomy, a lunar fortnight is half a lunar synodic month, which is equivalent to the mean period between a full moon and a new moon (and vice versa). This is equal to 14.07 days.
It gives rise to a lunar fortnightly tidal constituent (see: Long-period tides).
Analogs and translations
In many languages, there is no single word for a two-week period, and the equivalent terms "two weeks", "14 days", or "15 days" (counting inclusively) have to be used.
Celtic languages: in Welsh, the term pythefnos, meaning "15 nights", is used. This is in keeping with the Welsh term for a week, which is wythnos ("eight nights"). In Irish, the term is coicís.
Similarly, in Greek, the term δεκαπενθήμερο (dekapenthímero), meaning "15 days", is used.
Semitic languages have a "doubling suffix". When added at the end of the word for "week" it changes the meaning to "two weeks". In Hebrew, the single-word שבועיים (shvu′ayim) means exactly "two weeks". Also in Arabic, by adding the common dual suffix to the word for "week", أسبوع, the form أسبوعين (usbu′ayn), meaning "two weeks", is formed.
Slavic languages: in Czech the terms čtrnáctidenní and dvoutýdenní have the same meaning as "fortnight". In Ukrainian, the term два тижні is used in relation to "biweekly, two weeks".
See also
Look up fortnight in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
^"Fortnight". The Concise Oxford Dictionary (5th ed.). 1964. p. 480.
^Senight, sennight or se'night (seven-night), an old word for the week, was still in use in the early 19th century, to judge from Jane Austen's letters.