April 1004 225718585 2008-07-15T01:49:13Z Chicago god 112915 Reverted 2 edits by [[Special:Contributions/202.45.116.11|202.45.116.11]] to last version by Natl1 (using [[WP:HG|Huggle]]) {{Refimprove|date=April 2007}} {{Month header}} {{otheruses1|the month}} {| style="float:right;" |{{AprilCalendar}} |} '''April''' is the fourth [[month]] of the year in the [[Gregorian Calendar]], and one of four months with a length of 30 [[days]]. April was originally the second month of the [[Roman calendar]], before January and February were added by King [[Numa Pompilius]] about 700 BC. It became the fourth month of the calendar year (the year when twelve months are displayed in order) during the time of the [[decemvirs]] about 450 BC, when it also was given 29 days. The derivation of the name ([[Latin]] ''Aprilis'') is uncertain. The traditional etymology from the Latin ''aperire'', "to open," in allusion to its being the season when trees and flowers begin to "open," is supported by comparison with the modern Greek use of ἁνοιξις (opening) for spring. Since most of the Roman months were named in honor of divinities, and as April was sacred to [[Venus]], the ''Festum Veneris et Fortunae Virilis'' being held on the first day, it has been suggested that Aprilis was originally her month Aphrilis, from her Greek name [[Aphrodite]] (''Aphros''), or from the [[Etruscan language|Etruscan]] name ''Apru''. [[Jacob Grimm]] suggests the name of a hypothetical god or hero, ''Aper'' or ''Aprus''.<ref>Jacob Grim ''Geschichte der deutschen Sprache''. Cap. "Monate"</ref> The [[Anglo-Saxons]] called April ''Oster-monath'' or ''Eostur-monath'', the period sacred to ''Eostre'' or ''Ostara'', the pagan Saxon goddess of spring, from whose name is derived the modern [[Easter]]. [[St George]]'s day is the twenty-third of the month; and [[St Mark]]'s Eve, with its superstition that the ghosts of those who are doomed to die within the year will be seen to pass into the church, falls on the twenty-fourth. In China the symbolic ploughing of the earth by the emperor and princes of the blood takes place in their third month, which frequently corresponds to our April. April is known to be "[[National Poetry Month]]" The Finnish called this month ''Huhtikuu'', or 'Burnwood Month', when the wood for beat and burn clearing of farmland was felled. The month of April begins ([[astrology|astrologically]]) with the sun in the sign of [[Aries (astrology)|Aries]] and ends in the sign of [[Taurus (astrology)|Taurus]]. [[Astronomy|Astronomically]] speaking, the sun begins in the constellation of [[Pisces (constellation)|Pisces]] and ends in the constellation of [[Aries (constellation)|Aries]]. The signs of the [[zodiac]] do not necessarily coincide with the actual constellations for which they are named. The [[precession of the equinoxes]], a phenomenon discovered c. 130 BC by [[Hipparchus]] and known to [[Ptolemy]], results in a shift between the two systems of about one degree every 70 years. The vernal equinox lay near the beginning of the Aries constellation around 500 BC, consistent with a [[Neo-Babylonian Empire|Babylonian]] origin of the system. The "days of April" (''journées d'avril'') is a name appropriated in French history to a [[July_Monarchy#April_1834_insurrections|series of insurrections]] at Lyons, Paris and elsewhere, against the government of [[Louis-Philippe of France|Louis Philippe]] in 1834, which led to violent repressive measures, and to a famous trial known as the ''procès d'avrill''. The [[Birthday#Birthstones|birthstone]] of April is the [[diamond]] or the [[sapphire]], and the [[Birthday#Birth_flowers|birth flower]] is typically listed as either the [[Daisy]] or the [[Sweet Pea]].<ref>Kipfer, Barbara Ann (1997) ''The Order of Things.'' New York: Random House</ref> However, a few questionable online soucers also cite the [[Tulip]], as well. In ''[[The Waste Land]]'', [[T. S. Eliot]] called April "the cruellest month". April starts on the same day of the week as July in all years, and January in leap years. ==April holidays and events== *[[National Poetry Month]] - in [[United States]] *National [[Sexual Assault]] Awareness Month - in [[United States]] *[[April Fools' Day]] - [[April 1]] *World [[Autism]] Awareness Day - [[April 2]] *[[World Health Day]]- [[April 7]] *[[Arbor Day]]- in [[Korea]] - [[April 5]] * End of Tax Year (UK) - [[April 5]] *[[Bataan Day|Araw ng Kagitingan]], also known as "Bataan Day" ([[Philippines]]) - [[April 9]] *[[Tax Day]] - [[April 15]] (in US) *[[Cambodian New Year|Khmer New Year]] in [[Cambodia]] - [[April 13]] *[[Passover]] begins on the fifteenth day of [[Nisan]], which in 2008 begins at sunset on [[April 19]] *[[4:20]]- [[April 20]] *[[Patriots' Day]]- [[April 21]] *[[Earth Day]] - [[April 22]] *[[Conch Republic]] Independence Celebration ([[Key West, Florida]]) - [[April 23]] *[[St George's Day]] Patron Saint Celebration ([[England]], [[Europe]]) - [[April 23]] *[[ANZAC Day]] ([[Australia]] and [[New Zealand]]) - [[April 25]] *[[Carnation Revolution]] ([[Portugal]]) - [[April 25]] *[[Arbor Day]] - last Friday of April in [[United States]] *[[Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work Day]], usually fourth Thursday (United States) ==See also== *[[List of historical anniversaries]] ==References== <references/> ==External links== {{wikiquote}} {{commonscat|April}} *{{1911}} {{wiktionarypar|April}} {{months}} [[Category:Months]] [[Category:April|*]] [[af:April]] [[als:April]] [[ang:Ēastermōnaþ]] [[ar:أبريل]] [[an:Abril]] [[arc:ܢܝܣܢ]] [[frp:Avril]] [[ast:Abril]] [[gn:Jasyrundy]] [[ay:Yapu apthapi phaxsi]] [[az:Aprel]] [[bn:এপ্রিল]] [[zh-min-nan:4 goe̍h]] [[be:Красавік]] [[be-x-old:Красавік]] [[bs:April]] [[br:Ebrel]] [[bg:Април]] [[ca:Abril]] [[cv:Ака]] [[ceb:Abril]] [[cs:Duben]] [[co:Aprile]] [[cy:Ebrill]] [[da:April]] [[de:April]] [[dv:އެޕްރީލް]] [[dsb:Jatšownik]] [[et:Aprill]] [[el:Απρίλιος]] [[myv:Чадыков]] [[es:Abril]] [[eo:Aprilo]] [[ext:Abril]] [[eu:Apiril]] [[ee:Afɔfiɛ]] [[fa:آوریل]] [[fo:Apríl]] [[hif:April]] [[fr:Avril]] [[fy:April]] [[fur:Avrîl]] [[ga:Aibreán]] [[gan:4月]] [[gv:Averil]] [[gd:An Giblean]] [[gl:Abril]] [[ko:4월]] [[haw:‘Apelila]] [[hy:Ապրիլ]] [[hsb:Apryl]] [[hr:Travanj]] [[io:Aprilo]] [[ig:April]] [[ilo:Abril]] [[id:April]] [[ia:April]] [[ie:April]] [[is:Apríl]] [[it:Aprile]] [[he:אפריל]] [[jv:April]] [[kn:ಏಪ್ರಿಲ್]] [[ka:აპრილი]] [[csb:Łżëkwiôt]] [[kk:Сәуір]] [[kw:Mys Ebrel]] [[ky:Апрель]] [[sw:Aprili]] [[kv:Кос му тöлысь]] [[ht:Avril]] [[ku:Avrêl]] [[lad:Avril]] [[lo:ເມສາ]] [[la:Aprilis]] [[lv:Aprīlis]] [[lb:Abrëll]] [[lt:Balandis]] [[lij:Arvî]] [[li:April]] [[ln:Sánzá ya mínei]] [[lmo:April]] [[hu:Április]] [[mk:Април]] [[mg:Aprily]] [[ml:ഏപ്രില്‍]] [[mt:April]] [[mi:Paenga-whāwhā]] [[mr:एप्रिल]] [[ms:April]] [[my:ဧပြီ]] [[nah:Tlanāuhti]] [[nl:April]] [[nds-nl:April]] [[ja:4月]] [[nap:Abbrile]] [[no:April]] [[nn:April]] [[nrm:Avri]] [[nov:Aprile]] [[oc:Abril]] [[km:ខែមេសា]] [[nds:April]] [[pl:Kwiecień]] [[pt:Abril]] [[ksh:Apprill (Moohnd)]] [[ro:Aprilie]] [[qu:Ayriway killa]] [[ru:Апрель]] [[sah:Муус устар]] [[se:Cuoŋománnu]] [[sc:Abrile]] [[sco:Aprile]] [[sq:Prilli]] [[scn:Aprili]] [[simple:April]] [[ss:Mábasa]] [[sk:Apríl]] [[sl:April]] [[szl:Kwjećyń]] [[so:Abriil]] [[sr:Април]] [[sh:April]] [[su:April]] [[fi:Huhtikuu]] [[sv:April]] [[tl:Abril]] [[ta:ஏப்ரல்]] [[kab:Yebrir]] [[tt:Äpril]] [[te:ఏప్రిల్]] [[th:เมษายน]] [[vi:Tháng tư]] [[tg:Апрел]] [[tpi:Epril]] [[tr:Nisan]] [[uk:Квітень]] [[ur:اپريل]] [[vo:Prilul]] [[fiu-vro:Mahlakuu]] [[wa:Avri]] [[vls:April]] [[war:Abril]] [[yi:אפריל]] [[yo:April]] [[zh-yue:4月]] [[bat-smg:Balondis]] [[zh:4月]]