Re: Spinning and purring

> >... in colloquial German, the word _spinnen_ ("to spin [wool]") is
> >also used for "to be crazy". As a matter of fact, the question
> >_Spinnst du?_ usually means "are you out of your mind?" and not "do
> >you manufacture your own woollen yarn?".)
> If memory serves (it still does sometimes!), "spinnen" also means "to
> purr," unless contemporary German uses another word.  My German is
> dated to the mid-60s when I lived there, courtesy of the U.S. Army.
Actually, I think "schnurren" is the verb you are looking for. At least
today - I wasn't here in the 60s, so I can't say anything about that. The
connection is still there though, because "Schnur" is the word for a string
made of wool which in turn of course is made by "spinnen" of the wool.

Eduard