Volgens ViVA, die Virtuele Instituut vir Afrikaans, het die woord “skrikkel” sy oorsprong in die Middelnederlandse woord “scrikken” (Spring).
Uit Middelnederlands se “scrikken” is die herhalingswerkwoord (iteratief) “skrikkel” gebore. ’n Iteratief dui aan dat ’n handeling keer op keer herhaal word. (Met ander woorde ‘n aksie wat oor-en-oor gebeur).
Iteratiewe word aan die ou uitgange “-el” of “-er” herken. In hedendaagse Afrikaans is dié uitgange nie meer produktief nie, maar ons sien hulle nog in ou werkwoorde soos “giggel”, hakkel”, “klapper”, “pruttel” en “stotter”. “Skrikkel” beteken om “weer-en-weer te spring”.
29 Februarie, of skrikkeldag, is dus ’n dag wat in die kalender “spring” om die tydrekening in orde te bring. Om dieselfde rede verwys Engelssprekendes na ‘n Leap year en die Duitsers na ‘n Schaltjahr, wat “om te wissel” beteken.
Why is it called a ‘leap’ year?
The term leap year comes from the fact that a fixed date in the Gregorian calendar normally advances one day of the week from one year to the next, but the day of the week in the 12 months following the leap day (from March 1 through February 28 of the following year) will advance two days due to the extra day, thus leaping over one day in the week.
For example, Christmas Day, December 25, fell on a Sunday in 2016, a Monday in 2017, a Tuesday in 2018 and a Wednesday in 2019. This year, Christmas will be celebrated on a Friday (in other words it “jumps” or “leaps” over Thursday).
Have you ever wondered why frogs are usually associated with a leap year? Perhaps it is because leap means “to jump or spring a long way, to a great height, or with great force.” Frogs are probably the unofficial mascot of the leap year because bunnies have already been taken for Easter and fleas’ faces just won’t make such good cartoon creatures!
