This time in Language Day we talk about today´s topic, the Leap Day. The 29th day of February that occurs every four years - the same year as the Summer Olympics.
You can read about Leap Year and Leap Day in Wikipedia’s extensive articles. Here let’s just go through what we call this particular day in different countries and languages, and the etymology of the word itself.
Did you know that people born on a leap day may be called “leaplings” or “leapers”. They usually celebrate their birthdays on February 28. For legal purposes, legal birthdays depend on how local laws count time intervals. Anthony in Texas proclaimed itself the Leap Year Capital of the World in 1988, and has since then every leap year thrown birthday festivals for people born on February 29. Americans and people from other parts of the world travel to this tiny town to take part in parades, birthday dinners, and hot air balloon lifts.
The following listing comprises of countries with their possible leap day traditions. The list is nowhere complete of course, and will be gradually added on.
FINLAND
In Finnish the day is called karkauspäivä. It comes from the verb karata which used to mean hop or jump. Instead of moving the date with a peg to the next day, you would just click it and kind of make it hop and stay on the same place, on the 28th.
It has for years and years been a special day for the ladies whose fiances haven’t had the sense, courage or whatever to propose to their girl friend. The woman can propose the man, and in case he declines, he is supposed to buy her cloth for a skirt.
GERMANY
Schalttag. The word comes from the verb einschalten, i.e. to include something in
SPAIN
In Spanish, leap day is called día intercalar.
SWEDEN
In Swedish the day is called skottdagen. The word skott means “something that has been has slided in”. Like in Finland, women are “allowed” to propose to their fiances on leap day - a tradition that came to Sweden in the 19th century.
USA
xxxLeap day
PS. Did you already read about Anthony above?
Updated 29.2.2020