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intercalate
Mar. 2nd, 2012 07:29 amintercalate (in-TUR-kuh-layt) - v., to insert (a leap day or leap month) into a calendar; to interpolate, interpose, insert between existing things (such as layers).
Yes, I should have run this on Wednesday. I fail. The calculation of intercalations is, of course, a Big Deal and often a big angst. Leap months are a factor in lunisolar calendars, such as the Hebrew and Chinese calendars -- and, before the Julian reforms, the Roman calendar. This latter was done not on a schedule but rather announced as needed (which lead to jiggering the calendar for political purposes, leading to the necessity of reform), and the verb intercalāre meant to announce (calāre) the insertion (inter-). The past participle of this, intercalātus, was borrowed around 1610.
--L.
Yes, I should have run this on Wednesday. I fail. The calculation of intercalations is, of course, a Big Deal and often a big angst. Leap months are a factor in lunisolar calendars, such as the Hebrew and Chinese calendars -- and, before the Julian reforms, the Roman calendar. This latter was done not on a schedule but rather announced as needed (which lead to jiggering the calendar for political purposes, leading to the necessity of reform), and the verb intercalāre meant to announce (calāre) the insertion (inter-). The past participle of this, intercalātus, was borrowed around 1610.
--L.
