Isigaba sokuqala: Ngabe amagama ezinsuku zeviki zekhalenda leGregorian asuselwaphi?
Ngaphambili sike sakuveza ukuthi ikhalenda esilisebenzisayo lasungulwa uPapa uGregory XIII, nge-1582 zikaMfumfu. Leli khalenda libazwa ngokuthi iGregorian Calendar (GC). Inkinga yaleli khalenda ukuthi liyaphambana nezinkathi zonyaka zase Ningizimu nomhlaba.
Leli khalenda lalakhelwe ukusetshenziswa amazwe eseNyakatho nomhlaba. Ngakho-ke, akufanele abantu baseNingizimu nomhlaba baqhubeke nokusebenzisa lelikhalenda. Kulengosi, sizoxoxa ngomlando wokuqanjwa kwagama ezinsuku, akuleli khalenda, iGregory Calendar (GC). Bese sibheka ukuthi ngokomthetho wasendulo waboHlanga, ngabe imaphi amagama ezinsuku ekufanele asentshenziswe.
Izinyanga zonyaka imvamisa zakhiwa amaviki amane nosuku olulodwa okanye ezimbili bese kuba uNhlolanja onezinsuku ezingama-28 (uma ungabhansanga unyaka, ziba ngama-29 uma ubhansa unyaka, Lokucikizwa kwezinyanga zonyaka kulandela umthetho GC. Ngabe kususelwaphi ukuthi iviki linezinsuku eziyisikhombisa? Wona amagama azo lezinsuku asuselwaphi?
Amagama anjengoMonday, Tuesday, Wednesday, njalo njalo. Sizophinde sibheke ukuthi kungani amaviki amane akha inyanga eyodwa? Kungani siba nezinyanga ezili-12 onyakeni? Uma kucikizwa ikhalendela imvamisa kusetshenziswa umthetho wokuzungeza komhlaba uzungeza ilanga. Kuphindwe kusetshenziswe ukuzungeza kwenyanga ukucikiza izinyanga ezisonyekeni, IGC icikizwe ngomthetho wokuzungeza komhlaba uzungeza ilanga. Lokhu kwenza kube nezinyanga ezili-12 onyakeni, kusukela kwintwasahlobo kuyak wintwasahlobo yonyaka olandelayo. Zona lezinyanga zibalwa kanjani?
Ukucikizwa kwenkathi yenyanga eyodwa kususelwa ekuguqukeni kwemiso sayo iNyanga uqobo. Ukuguquka kwenyanga kunezigaba ezine ezihlukaniswa izinsuku eziwu-7 namanenjana amahora. Isigaba sokuqala ukuqala kwenyanga, Kulesigaba iNyanga isuke imnyama, ingoni phakathi kwenyanga lelanga isuke iqondile njengothi lomkhonto.
Uma kuqala inyanga, kufike kube iLanga ekuqaleni komugqa, kulandela iNyanga phakathi nendawo masekugcina uMhlaba. Ngokho ke, uma kuqala inyanga ukukhanya kweLanga kusuke kukhanyisa ingemumva leNyanga. Lokhu iNyanga kwenza ukuthi ingabonakali eMhlabeni. Ukube iNyanga icane kulokhu eyikho onkanye imi kwingoni efanele, ngabe siyabonakala isithunzi seNyanga eMhlabeni njalo uma kuqala inyanga. Ukuqala kweNyanga kucikizwa njengosuku lokuqala lwenyanga.
Isigaba sesibili sicikizwa uma iNyanga isiveze ingxenye eyodwa olusesandleni sokukhohlwa. Lesigaba sivela emva kwezinsuku eziwu-7 kusukela iqalile inyanga. Emva kwezinsuku ewu-14 namanenjana amahora iqalile inyanga, inyanga isuke isingcwele. Kulesigaba ingaphambili leNyanga lisuke likhanyiseke lonke, libonaka eMhlabeni ngokupheleleyo. Kulesigaba kuqala iLanga emgqeni kuze uMhlaba kungcine iNyanga. Emva kwalesi sigaba, inyanga isuke isiqala ukuncipha, ize iveze ingxenye eyodwa. Lesigaba sithatha izinsuku eziwu-7 nama nenjana amahora.
Kusukela kulesigaba inyanga iyacipha ize iphele ndu. Lesi isigaba sokugcina ngesokuguquka kweNyanga, esithatha izinsuku eziwu-7 namanenjana amahora. Lezigaba uma sezihlangane zakha inyanga enamaviki amane nosuku namanenjana amahora. Lokhu kusinika inyanga enezinsuku ezingama-29 ukuquma. Loluhlu lwezigaba zokuguquka kweNyanga lucashunwe encwadini ethi “The Sacred Magic of Ancient Egypt, Romery Clark”.
Uma sihlaziya lesiqephu esingenhla sizothola ukuthi iviki elinensuku eziwu-7 lisuselwa kwizigaba ezine zokuguquka kwesimo seNyanga. Lokhu sikubona ngoba lezigaba zehlukaniswa izinsuku eziwu-7 phakathi, kusukela ekuqaleni kwenyanga kuze kube ukuphela kwayo. Umbuzo uthi, phoke aqhamuka kanjani lamagama ezinsuku evikini leGregorian Calendar?
Uzozibuza umfundi walengosi ukuthi lona igama elithi iviki liqonde ukuthini futhi yini umsusa walo? Masiphenya sithole ukuthi igama elithi iviki lingumfakela wegama elithi “week” le-Afrikaans ne-English. Ngokwencazelo etholakala kwi-etymonline.com, igama elithi week, lisuselwa kwigama Old Norse, “Vika” nakwi Pro- Indo-European, “Weik” (to bend, to wind). Ayikho incazelo esiyitholile exhumanisa leli gama nezinsuku ezine zokuguquka kwesimo seNyanga.
Uma siphenya siyathola ukuthi leli gama umsusa wawo ungowamaGreeki namaRoma. Ngokwenkolo nombuso wamaRoma usuku lokuqala evikini iSonto, (Sunday). Lo Sunday wakhiwa amagama amabili, Sun no Day. Uma lihumushwa lithi “the day of the Sun”. Ngokomlando otholakala ku-www.etymonline.com, kuthiwa nako lokuhumushwa kususelwa kumusho wesiGreeki othi “hēmera Helious”. Umlando uthi ngokosiko lamaRoma usuku lapho eyekhonza khona isiThixo selanga, lagcina lolu suku selushicilelwa ngegama elithi Sunday kwiGregorian Calendar.
Uma uphenya ngokujulile uzothola ukuthi lokuqanjwa kwagama kuxhumene nenkolo yamaRoma namaGreeki, usuku ngalunye ngelokukhonza isithixo thizeni esiqondaniswa nesizungezilanga. Sizoqhubeka silande ngalezi ezinye izinsuku ezisele, okwamanje esiyibambe la lengosi.