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Latonya and Diana recorded this episode on March 1 , 2024. When we say that date in English we say "March first, twenty twenty-one".   In English we use ordinal numbers  when we talk about the date on the calendar.

When we count (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8, 9,10), we use cardinal numbers. Ordinal numbers are numbers "in order": first, second, third, fourth. fifth.  Those are a little tricky, but the other ordinal numbers are easy - just add "th" to  the cardinal number: six+th = sixth, seven+th= seventh, eight +th = eighth, none + th = ninth and so on.  We need to remember that when we come to the ordinal number 21, we need to say "twenty first", 22 - "twenty second", 23 - "twenty third" , twenty fourth, twenty fifth. The same is true, of course, for 31 -35, 41 - 45 and so on (etc).

Here is interesting and important fact:  when we see written dates, usually we don't see them written as ordinal numbers, but we say them as ordinal numbers. For practice here, we will write the dates as ordinal numbers so you can practice saying the dates that way.

The day  before March 1st, was February 29th.  We have a  February 29th only every 4 years. Most years February has 28 days.  We had a February 29th this year because it is a leap year.  A leap year has 366 days instead of the usual 365 days.

Why do we need to have leap years?  A year is the time it takes the earth to revolve (move in a circle) around the sun.

We think of a year as 365 days, but it actually takes the earth 365 days and 6 hours to revolve around the sun.

So... every four years we add an extra day to the calendar to make up for that extra 6 hours a year, and every four years we have an extra day in the year.  That day is added to February. In a leap year February has 29 days instead of 28 days.

The 29th of February is called leap day.

                “Leap” – another word for jump

                “leaping lizards!!!”  is an exclamation we sometimes use when we are very surprised. 

                “leap frog” is a children's game. One child crouches (is on their hands and knees, close to the floor [inside]  or ground [outside]), and another child jumps or leaps over them.  

Why do we use “leap” for years that have an extra day??

On years that are not leap years, the day of the week for a specific date, like December 25th advances (goes forward) one day every year. 

Christmas Day was on Saturday in 2021,  Sunday in 2022 and it was on Monday in 2023.  Because 2024 is a Leap Year, Christmas Day will be on Wednesday, not a Tuesday. So the date “leaps over” “jumps over Tuesday to Wednesday. 

Do you know anyone who was born on February 29? It is the rarest birthday.  Something that is rare doesn’t happen very often.   People born on February 29th are rare. They are called leaplings.

Are you a leapling, dear listener? Do you know anyone who is a  leapling?

Here is a challenge for you, dear listener: tell someone (in English, of course) what we talked about in this episode! 
 

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