Re: Spinning and purring

>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?
>
>Charlie
The Finnish verb stem <kehrä-> means both "to spin (with a spinning-wheel)"
and "to purr". Probably a word of onomatopoetic origin (and I guess "to
purr" and "ronronear" are too), but I'd still be surprized if the polysemy
is an independant innovation here, and not a borrowed one. The two sounds
aren't *that* much similar...

John Vertical