Seasons
Like many other African societies, Sesotho speaking people generally recognise only 2 seasons (dihla). However, names do exist for all four of the traditional Western seasons. The year begins in approximately August or September, when the crops are planted.
- Selemo (Spring) — from the verb -lema (plant) as the crops are planted at the beginning of this period. This is also the most common name for "year."
- Lehlabula (Summer) — more often than not this name is used for both the spring and the summer.
- Lehwetla (Autumn) — from the ancient Proto-Bantu root *-ginja ("hot season"). This noun is often used without the class prefix (that is, as Hwetla).
- Mariha (Winter) — from the ancient and widespread Proto-Bantu root *-tîka ("cold weather; cold season; night"). More often than not this name is used to denote both Autumn and Winter.
Read more about this topic: Sotho Calendar
Famous quotes containing the word seasons:
“Sorrow breaks seasons and reposing hours,
Makes the night morning and the noontide night.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“The men who think of superannuation at sixty-one are those whose lives have been idle, not they who have really buckled themselves to work. It is my opinion that nothing seasons the mind for endurance like hard work. Port wine should perhaps be added.”
—Anthony Trollope (1815–1882)
“For winter’s rains and ruins are over,
And all the seasons of snows and sins;
The days dividing lover and lover,
The light that loses, the night that wins;
And time remembered is grief forgotten,
And frosts are slain and flowers begotten,
And in green underwood and cover
Blossom by blossom the spring begins.”
—A.C. (Algernon Charles)