Depends on one's definition of "technically". The traditional week starts on Sunday (at least in the British culture), but the scientific/standard week (ISO 8061) starts on Monday.
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NR Week Sat-Fri ?
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Yeah I meant more traditionally than technically….I think
RUK
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Interesting - weeks in term at Cambridge University run from Thursday to Wednesday, though I've no idea why - I guess because Sunday is the day off, in the middle of the week: https://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/reporter/2010-11/special/01/
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I've worked for two large retailers during my career and at both a week has started on a Sunday and finished on a Saturday. At both 13 four week accounting periods make up a year although one had an accounting year end on the 2nd Saturday in January, the other one in March.
Bletchleyite
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Eh?
I don't think I've met anyone in the UK who considered the week started on Sunday. It starts on Monday, with Saturday and Sunday called the "weekend", which has a big clue in it.
The working week starting on a Sunday is an Americanism (though like most Americanisms it may well come from what was the case in the UK 200 years ago, just like some of their spellings do).
I’ve always worked to the week starting on a Sunday. It’s only in this thread I now realise more people than I thought, consider Monday the start of the week. My roster at work goes from Sunday to Saturday, same as in my previous role, with payslips also indicating the week ending on the Saturday (we get weekly payslips).
norbitonflyer
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Far from being an Americanism, Sunday has been the first day of the week in both Jewish and Christian traditions since their respective foundations. There are clues in other languages too - "miitwoch" (midweek) is German for Wednesday, not Thursday. I don't know where the removal of Sunday to the end of the week originated- possibly revolutionary (secular) France?
Many languages name the days of the week after the gids associated with the seven astronomical bodies that move relative to the fixed stars - the five visible planets, plus the sun and moon. (This is less obvious in English as we use the AngloSaxon names for the days of the week and the Latin names for most of the planets e.g Woden's day = Mercury (mercredi) ). Pride of place goes to the most inportant - the Sun
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Pick up just about any calendar and see what day is in the first column. At least 8 times out of 10 it will look like this:
Dai Corner
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Mcr Warrior
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Not all calendars start the week on a Sunday...
(Example above from VectorStock, a NZ based company).
(Example above from VectorStock, a NZ based company).
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
OK, here's a sample.
The one on my kitchen wall: starts Monday
The one in Windows 11 configured to UK-English: starts Monday
Google Calendar configured to UK-English: starts Monday
Apple Calendar configured to UK-English: starts Monday
Outlook configured to UK-English: starts Monday
Etc etc.
That example you posted is a layout you would be much more likely to see in the US.
There are of course many good reasons for ending the week on a calendar or diary on Sunday (or just a vertical format as per many kitchen calendars) - it allows you to mark the thing that is most common to mark on a domestic calendar - a weekend away - by writing across the two or three days.
The one on my kitchen wall: starts Monday
The one in Windows 11 configured to UK-English: starts Monday
Google Calendar configured to UK-English: starts Monday
Apple Calendar configured to UK-English: starts Monday
Outlook configured to UK-English: starts Monday
Etc etc.
That example you posted is a layout you would be much more likely to see in the US.
There are of course many good reasons for ending the week on a calendar or diary on Sunday (or just a vertical format as per many kitchen calendars) - it allows you to mark the thing that is most common to mark on a domestic calendar - a weekend away - by writing across the two or three days.
Of those, four are on electronic devices which are (a) likely biased towards the work week; and (b) having been designed by computer programmers less likely to follow traditional format and more likely to comply with ISO standards.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
I just did a Google Image search "uk wall calendar" and (excluding the ones that weren't by week at all so are basically neither) all but one of the results showed Monday-Sunday format.
Which puts Sunday at one end of the list. Sometimes the best is saved until last.
Facing Back
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I had always taken it as an article of faith (not religious faith) that the week started on a Sunday and ended on a Saturday. Mainly because when I was young my day told me so.
Where I work, operations have a week Monday to Sunday, HR and finance have a week Sunday to Saturday. We use several IT tools, the US ones give the week number starting on a Monday, the european ones Sunday.
So I have no idea. I will continue to consider the week starting on a Sunday simply because I have always done so. I can find no "official" definition - I'm delighted if one exists
Where I work, operations have a week Monday to Sunday, HR and finance have a week Sunday to Saturday. We use several IT tools, the US ones give the week number starting on a Monday, the european ones Sunday.
So I have no idea. I will continue to consider the week starting on a Sunday simply because I have always done so. I can find no "official" definition - I'm delighted if one exists
AlbertBeale
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Thanks for the precision. That's just the sort of info I come to expect from this website!
Andy Pacer
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Buses vary, our week is Sat to Fri.
Mcr Warrior
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Apparently the broadcast week as used in the Radio Times was 'Sunday to Saturday' for some 37 years. The BBC's own website is your friend here!
The Radio Times
The first edition of the Radio Times appeared on 28 September 1923, subtitled 'The official organ of the BBC'. It is now one of the bestselling magazines in the UK, transforming itself to cover all broadcasters as well as a range of lifestyle features and interviews.
www.bbc.com
P.S. The changeover date to 'Saturday to Friday' would possibly make a good, if rather random, pub quiz question!
AlbertBeale
Established Member
P.S. The changeover date to 'Saturday to Friday' would possibly make a good, if rather random, pub quiz question!
I've already made a note....
Wouldn't Sunday be the last day of the week in Christian traditions seeing as the 7th day was the day of rest?
Anyway I've always been a Monday to Sunday person.
Falcon1200
Established Member
Whether working for BR, Railtrack or Network Rail my week always started on a Sunday, as this was how rosters and pay were arranged. But I do understand why many would consider Monday the first day of the week; This did confuse a recent start in my office who on returning from Annual Leave, thought they were not due back until Monday night shift, not Sunday night as was actually the case ! And of course the railway's Weekly Operating Notice runs from Saturday to Friday, which also makes sense given that a fair part of its content is Saturday night/Sunday engineering work.
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