första torsdagen i mars

Swedish

The day is often celebrated with massipantååta (“ma'sipan cake”), here a Princess cake.

Alternative forms

• fössta tossdan i mass

Etymology

Compound of första +‎ torsdagen +‎ i +‎ mars, from Småland pronunciation spelling fössta tossdan i mass, meaning the first Thursday in March. Origin based on the silent rhotic consonants that is common in Småland dialects, which is highlighted in alternative non-standard spellings. Attested since 2010.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈfœ̞ʂːʈa ˈtuːsdɑn iː ˈmarʂː/

• Audio (Småland):

  (file)

Noun

första torsdagen i mars c

1. (humorous) The first Thursday of March; a day to celebrate Småland, a Swedish historical province, and its dialect; sometimes (jocularly) claimed as the unofficial national day of the province.
   • 2018 March 1, Benjamin Ekroth, “Fössta tossdan i mass – så firas Smålands nationaldag [Fi'st Thu'sday in Ma'ch - this is how Småland's national day is celebrated]”, in Aftonbladet‎^[1]:

     Sedan några år har smålänningarna fått en egen liten nationaldag på den första torsdagen i mars, i år firas dagen den 4 mars.

     For a few years now, the Smålanders have had their own little national day on the first Thursday in March, this year the day is celebrated on 4 March.

   • 2021 March 4, “Smålänningarna firar fössta tossdan i mass [Smålandees celebrate fi'sr Thu'sday in Ma'ch]”, in Dagens Nyheter‎^[2]:

     Idag firar många smålänningar första torsdagen i mars. Efter ett år med coronapandemin märker Lenarts konditori i småländska Eksjö att suget på marsipantårta är extra stort.

     Today, many Smålanders celebrate the first Thursday in March. After a year with the corona pandemic, Lenart's patisserie in Eksjö in Småland notices that the craving for marzipan cake is extra large.