Pataphysical Calendar
The pataphysical calendar is a variation of the Gregorian calendar. The Collège de 'Pataphysique created the calendar in 1949. The pataphysical era (E.P.) started on 8 September 1873 (Jarry's birthday). When converting pataphysical dates to Gregorian dates, the appendage (vulg.) for vulgate is added.
The week starts on a Sunday. Every 1st, 8th, 15th and 22nd is a Sunday and every 13th day of a month falls on a Friday (see Friday the 13th). Each day is assigned a specific name or saint. For example, the 27 Haha (1 November vulg.) is called French: Occultation d'Alfred Jarry or the 14 Sable (14 December vulg.) is the day of French: Don Quichote, champion du monde.
The year has a total of 13 months each with 29 days. The 29th day of each month is imaginary with two exceptions:
- the 29 Gidouille (13 July vulg.) is always non-imaginary
- the 29 Gueules (23 February vulg.) is non-imaginary during leap years
The table below shows the names and order of months in a pataphysical year with their corresponding Gregorian dates and approximate translations or meanings by Hugill.
| Month | Starts | Ends | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Absolu | 8 September | 5 October | Absolute |
| Haha | 6 October | 2 November | Ha Ha |
| As | 3 November | 30 November | Skiff |
| Sable | 1 December | 28 December | Sand or heraldic black |
| Décervelage | 29 December | 25 January | Debraining |
| Gueules | 26 January | 22/23 February | Heraldic red or gob |
| Pédale | 23/24 February | 22 March | Bicycle pedal |
| Clinamen | 23 March | 19 April | Swerve |
| Palotin | 20 April | 17 May | Ubu's henchmen |
| Merdre | 18 May | 14 June | Pshit |
| Gidouille | 15 June | 13 July | Spiral |
| Tatane | 14 July | 10 August | Shoe or being worn out |
| Phalle | 11 August | 7 September | Phallus |
For example:
- 8 September 1873 (vulg.) = 1 Absolu 1
- 1 January 2000 (vulg.) = 4 Décervelage 127
- 10 November 2012 (vulg.)(Saturday) = 8 As 140 (Sunday)
See also Bob Richmond's comments on the calendar and the French Wikipedia article.
Read more about this topic: 'Pataphysics
Famous quotes containing the word calendar:
“To divide one’s life by years is of course to tumble into a trap set by our own arithmetic. The calendar consents to carry on its dull wall-existence by the arbitrary timetables we have drawn up in consultation with those permanent commuters, Earth and Sun. But we, unlike trees, need grow no annual rings.”
—Clifton Fadiman (b. 1904)