Why is 14 days called a fortnight?

A fortnight is a unit of time equal to 14 days – or two weeks. But where did this unique word come from, and why does it remain in use today? As a lover of etymology and cultural history, I’ve done some digging into the origins and story behind this fascinating term.

What does "fortnight" mean?

The word “fortnight” comes from Middle English “fourtenight”, which derives from the Old English phrase “fēowertīene niht.” This literally translates to “fourteen nights.”

So a fortnight refers to a 14 day period – or two weeks. The root of the word lies in counting days by “nights” rather than the 24 hour periods we use today.

The evolution of “fortnight”

The counting of time by “nights” has very ancient origins related to lunar cycles. In the 8th century AD, the English used the word “niht” to mean either “night” or “day.” So “fēowertīene niht” referred to 14 cycles of day and night.

By the 1100s, this phrase was shortened to “fourteniht”, and by the 1200s, had transformed into the modern “fortnight” that we know today.

So in essence, fortnight is one of the last surviving words reflecting the ancient tradition of numbering days by nights rather than 24 hour periods.

Why 14 days specifically?

The lunar cycle takes approximately 29 1⁄2 days to complete. So it makes sense that periods linked to this cycle, like fortnights, emerged for timekeeping.

Fourteen days marks half of the lunar month, so the fortnight captured a fundamental moon phase. Other number+night combinations also stem from lunar counting:

• Sennight – 7 nights (one week)
• Fourtenight – archaic for 14 nights

So the word fortnight has its roots in the rhythms of the moon rather than the mechanical 24 hour day.

Is "fortnight" still used today?

While Americans typically rely on “two weeks”, “fortnight” remains commonly used in British English. It appears often in contexts like:

• Employee pay periods or cycles
• Vacation rental durations
• The two week incubation period for certain illnesses

“Fortnight” also persists in some former British colonies. In India, it distinguishes between the “bright” and “dark” lunar fortnights in the Hindu calendar.

And though not as prevalent in American English, “fortnight” still appears occasionally in writing or speech – usually to evoke a sense of the old-fashioned.

The term specifies 14 days more precisely than approximations like “biweekly.” So it persists as the clearest way to refer to a 14 day period.

Alternatives to "fortnight"

While “fortnight” remains the most specific word for a 14 day period, some alternatives include:

• Biweekly – Occurring every two weeks
• Two weeks – The most common American substitute
• 14 days – Precise but wordy
• Quinzaine – Two weeks in French
• Score – An archaic term for a 20 day period

But none of these options have quite the same definitional clarity or historical flair as “fortnight”.

Why do Americans avoid “fortnight”?

If fortnight so efficiently denotes 14 days, why don’t Americans use the term? There are a few theories behind this language divergence:

• Dropped out of fashion – Like many archaic terms, “fortnight” gradually fell out of mainstream use in American English over the centuries. “Two weeks” sufficed as a substitute.

• Perceived formality – “Fortnight” may sound overly formal or stuffy to American ears accustomed to “two weeks”. The term has a British reputation in the US.

• Indirect communication – Americans generally prefer direct phrasing compared to English indirectness and euphemisms. So “two weeks” is more straightforward.

• Cultural identity – Establishing American English distinctions from British English naturally led to certain vocabulary falling away in the US, including “fortnight”.

So while still hanging on in Britain, fortnight faded from use over time in America. But it offers a fascinating window into ancient lunar timekeeping!

Timetelling in different languages

• French – 15 days = “quinzaine”
• Italian – 2 weeks = “quindicina”
• Spanish – Fortnight = “quincena”
• German – Fortnight = “vierzehn Tage” (14 days)
• Russian – 2 weeks = “две недели”

So in many cultures, the standard is a phrase meaning 14 or 15 days rather than a single word like “fortnight”.

Time periods in early England

Along with fortnight, the English language once included other specific terms for lengths of days stemming from ancient tradition:

• Sennight – 7 days
• Fourtenight – 14 days
• Score – 20 days
• Century – 100 years

But only “fortnight” endures in modern English. The word carries with it a whisper of the moon-based counting of earlier eras.

The future of “fortnight”

While not as common in American English, “fortnight” persists in modern British English. And it remains the most precise term for specifying a 14 day period.

As humans continue moving further from lunar patterns in tracking time, “fortnight” stands as a lingering reminder of humanity’s ancient relationship with the moon. The word connects us to the origins of time measurement in nature’s cycles rather than mechanical clocks.

So while not frequently used in American English presently, “fortnight” nonetheless represents an aspect of humanity’s collective past. The term may wax and wane, but continues offering a window into ancient experiences of time under the moon’s glow.

So what do you think? Are you ready to bring “fortnight” back – or happy to stick with “two weeks”? Either way, I hope you’ve enjoyed this dive into the history behind the word! Let me know if you have any other questions.