LEAP YEAR
29 / 02 / 2012
LEAP YEAR: meaning and examples
Good morning.
Today is February 29th, which, as you know, is not a common day!
What is a leap year?
2012 is called a leap year in English because it contains 366 days instead of the usual 365 days. February 29th is a leap day. Leap years only occur every 4 years. Normally, the earth takes approximately 365 days to orbit around the sun, but this number is approximate. In order to compensate, an extra day is added to the calendar every four years, the leap day (February 29th).
A leap year can also be called an intercalary year because an extra day is intercalated in the calendar. The western world follows the Gregorian calendar but many other calendars also have intercalary days or months, such as the Hebrew or the Chinese calendars.
The years between leap years (with 365 days or 28 days in February) are called common years.
Were you born on February 29th?
People who are born on February 29th may be called leaplings. They can celebrate their birthday on February 29th if it is a leap year but if it is a common year, they must choose to celebrate on February 28th or March 1st.
A Leap Year Folk Tradition
According to www.wikipedia.com, in the British Isles, a woman may only propose marriage on leap years. Tradition said that if the woman was refused, she should be compensated with anything from a kiss to a silk gown. Denmark and Finland have similar traditional folk beliefs. In Denmark, if a woman's proposal was refused, she had to be compensated with 12 pairs of gloves!
Have a great leap day and I'll see you tomorrow, when we will finish our series about the word LEAP.
Today is February 29th, which, as you know, is not a common day!
What is a leap year?
2012 is called a leap year in English because it contains 366 days instead of the usual 365 days. February 29th is a leap day. Leap years only occur every 4 years. Normally, the earth takes approximately 365 days to orbit around the sun, but this number is approximate. In order to compensate, an extra day is added to the calendar every four years, the leap day (February 29th).
A leap year can also be called an intercalary year because an extra day is intercalated in the calendar. The western world follows the Gregorian calendar but many other calendars also have intercalary days or months, such as the Hebrew or the Chinese calendars.
The years between leap years (with 365 days or 28 days in February) are called common years.
Were you born on February 29th?
People who are born on February 29th may be called leaplings. They can celebrate their birthday on February 29th if it is a leap year but if it is a common year, they must choose to celebrate on February 28th or March 1st.
A Leap Year Folk Tradition
According to www.wikipedia.com, in the British Isles, a woman may only propose marriage on leap years. Tradition said that if the woman was refused, she should be compensated with anything from a kiss to a silk gown. Denmark and Finland have similar traditional folk beliefs. In Denmark, if a woman's proposal was refused, she had to be compensated with 12 pairs of gloves!
Have a great leap day and I'll see you tomorrow, when we will finish our series about the word LEAP.
