Re: Spinning and purring

Quoting caeruleancentaur <caeruleancentaur@...>:

> --- In conlang@yahoogroups.com, "Julia \"Schnecki\" Simon"
> <helicula@G...> wrote:
>
> >... 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.
> What might be the connection between "to spin" and "to purr." Perhaps
> the sound of a spinning wheel?  Do any other natlangs use "to spin"
> for "to purr" as well?  I know that Spanish has the verb "ronronear."
> How have you expressed "to purr" in your conlangs?
Swedish _spinna_, an obvious cognate of the German, means both "purr" and
"spin". I've always assumed it's due to the supposed similarity in sound.

                                                  Andreas