English
Etymology
Originated in Latin as Vulgaris �rae (vulgaris from vulgus: "the common people", ie. those who are not royalty) at least as early as 1617, long before vulgar came to mean "crudely indecent".<ref>
cite web
|urlhttp://books.google.com/books?idnBQGGgAACAAJ&rview=1
|title=Earliest-found use of "vulgaris aerae" (Latin for Common Era) (1617)
|quote=New Ephemerids for the Celestiall Motions, for the Yeeres of the Vulgar Era 1617-1636
|accessdate=2007-12-14
cite book
|title=Ephemerides novae motuum coelestium, ab anno vulgaris aerae MDCXVII[-XXXVI]...
|quote=Part 3 has title: Tomi L Ephemeridvm Ioannis Kepleri pars tertia, complexa annos à M.DC.XXIX. in M.DC.XXXVI. In quibus & tabb. Rudolphi jam perfectis, et sociâ operâ clariss. viri dn. Iacobi Bartschii ... Impressa Sagani Silesiorvm, in typographeio Ducali, svmptibvs avthoris, anno M.DC.XXX.
|author=w:Johannes Kepler|Johannes Kepler, Jakob Bartsch
|publisher=Johannes Plancus
|year=1617
</ref>
A 1701 book edited by John LeClerc? includes "Before Christ according to the Vulgar �ra, 6", and is, so far, the earliest-found usage of Vulgar Era in English.<ref>
cite web
|urlhttp://books.google.com/books?idjakGAAAAQAAJ&pgPA5-IA4&dq%22vulgar+era%22&ei=cydiR4HkBoOotgPT2PTwBg
|title=Earliest so-far-found use of vulgar era in English (1701)
|accessdate=2007-12-14
cite book
|title=The Harmony of the Evangelists
|editor=John LeClerc?
|authorlink=John LeClerc?
|location=London
|publisher=Sam Buckley
|digitized=2007-02-21
|pages=p 5
|date=1701
|quote=Before Christ according to the Vulgar AEra, 6
</ref>
A 1716 book in English by Dean w:Humphrey Prideaux|Humphrey Prideaux says, "before the beginning of the vulgar æra, by which we now compute the years from his incarnation."<ref>
cite web
|urlhttp://books.google.com/books?id1DQHAAAAQAAJ&pgPA5&vqvulgar&dq=%
|title= Prideaux use of "Vulgar Era" (1716)
|date=1799 reprint
|digitized=2007-08-30
|quote2=reckoning it backward from the vulgar era of Christ's incarnation
|accessdate=2007-12-14
|digitized=2007-03-26
cite book
|title=The Old and New Testament Connected in the History of the Jews and Neighbouring Nations
|author=Humphrey Prideaux, D.D.
|authorlink=w:Humphrey Prideaux
|publisher=D. Schaw & Co.
|location=Edinburgh
|original=from Oxford University Press
|quote=This happened in the seventh year after the building of Rome, and in the second year of the eighth Olympiad, which was the seven hundred forty-seventh year before Christ, i. e. before the beginning of the vulgar æra, by which we now compute the years from his incarnation.
|pages=p 1 Vol 1
|year=1716
|reprint=1799 (1716 edition not online, 1749 online is Vol 2)
</ref><ref>
Merriam Webster Online accepts the date of 1716, but does not give the source. cite web|urlhttp://www.m-w.com/dictionary/vulgarera|titleMerriam Webster Online entry for Vulgar Era|accessdate=2007-12-12
</ref>
The phrase "common era" was used as an English synonym for "vulgar era" at least as early as 1770, in a translation of a book originally written in German.<ref>
cite book |lastHooper |firstWilliam |coauthorsBielfeld, Jacob Friedrich |titleThe Elements of Universal Eurdition (v. 2) |year1770 |publisherG. Scott, printer, for J Robson, bookseller in New-Bond Street, and B. Law in Ave-Mary Lane|locationLondon|pagesp 105| urlhttp://books.google.com/books?idgBETAAAAIAAJ&pgPA105&dq%22Common+Era%22+date:1-1800&as_brr0&eiaMzpRqzoMoz06gK06NFh| accessdate=2007-09-13
</ref>
The 1797 edition of the w:Encyclopedia Britannica|Encyclopedia Britannica uses the terms vulgar era and common era synonymously.<ref>
cite web
|urlhttp://books.google.com/books?idW3xMAAAAMAAJ&pgRA1-PA228&dq%22vulgar+era%22&ei=LjBiR?-b5L4XasQP2j9yFBw
|title="vulgar era" in 1797 EB
|quote=St Peter died in the 66th year of the vulgar era
|pages=p 228 v.14 pt.1 P (Peter)
|date=1797
|accessdate=2007-12-14
<br/> cite web
|urlhttp://books.google.com/books?idW3xMAAAAMAAJ&pgPA50&dq%22common+era%22&ei=9jBiR4nEBpHwsgPfrYztBg
|title="common era" in 1797 EB
|pages=p 50 v.14 pt.1 P (Paul)
|quote=This happened in the 33rd year of the common era, fome time after our Saviour's death.
|date=1797
|accessdate=2007-12-14
<br/>
cite book
|title=Encyclopedia Britannica: Or, A Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and Miscellaneous Literature (Third Edition in 18 volumes)
|date=1797
|pages=v.14 pt.1 P
|editor=George Gleig
|location=Edinburgh
|digitized=2007-09-12
</ref>
The term was later mentioned in w:Alexander Campbell (Restoration movement)|Alexander Campbell's 1835 book Living Oracles: "The vulgar Era, or Anno Domini; the fourth year of Jesus Christ, the first of which was but eight days." In its article on General Chronology, the 1908 w:Catholic Encyclopedia|Catholic Encyclopedia'' stated that "Foremost among these (dating eras) is that which is now adopted by all civilized peoples and known as the Christian, Vulgar or Common Era, in the twentieth century of which we are now living."
Proper noun
en-proper noun
- the current date era beginning approximately #expr:{{CURRENTYEAR-1}} years ago in the Gregorian calendar; secular equivalent of anno Domini and the Christian Era.
Translations
trans-top|era beginning {{#expr:{{CURRENTYEAR-1}} years ago}}
Chinese: �� (g�ngyuán)
French: de notre ère
Japanese: 西� (seireki)
Polish: naszej ery f
trans-mid
Russian: на�ей ��� (nášej éry) f (genitive of на�а ��а)
Sindhi: SDchar|ا���ڪ����� (ajjukalha)
Spanish: era común f, era vulgar f
trans-bottom
References
<references />
pedialite|Common Era
R:American Heritage 2000|Common Era
R:Dictionary.com|Common Era
R:WordNet 2003|Common Era
"General Chronology in the Catholic Encyclopedia, Robert Appleton Company, 1908.
Category:Calendar terms
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