NEA New English Academy: February 2016

Monday, February 29, 2016

bissextus: Word of the Day

Feb. 29, 2016

bissextus

\bahy-SEKS-tuh s, bi-\

noun
1. February 29th: the extra day added to the Julian calendar every fourth year (except those evenly divisible by 400) to compensate for the approximately six hours a year by which the common year of 365 days falls short of the solar year.

Quotes

This odd day was inserted after the sixth day before the kalends of March, i.e., after the 24th of February, and was not counted as an addition to the year, but as a sort of appendix. Hence the sixth of the kalends of March was called bissextus, or double sixth, which root is still retained in our word bissextile, though the day is now added at the end of February.
-- E. S. Burns, "History of Chronology," The Popular Science Monthly, April, 1881

Origin

Bissextus comes from the Latin term bissextus diēs meaning "intercalary day." It was so called because the 6th day before the Calends of March (February 24th) appeared twice every leap year.

Fwd: Hello –– Here's the Latest from Tracy's New York Life

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Tracy's New York Life <tracysnewyorklife@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, Feb 20, 2016 at 10:02 AM
Subject: Hello –– Here's the Latest from Tracy's New York Life
To: hectorpinillos@gmail.com

Hello from NYC!

Here's the latest from Tracy's New York Life

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No matter the weather, you can be fashionable.

You might want to read this if you plan to break your lease. {BrickUnderground}

You can still be stylish during the cold weather. Fall/winter street style from New York Fashion Week. {Refinery 29}

The iconic New York City deli is back in business. {amNY}
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12 Fun Facts You Probably Don't Know About Sardi's

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I've been going to Sardi's for more than 20 years. The first-floor bar has been a go-to spot for me in Times Square, and it remains one of my top picks for after-show cocktails. (José makes a mean Cosmo.)
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