Bears and why they mostly are called otherwise

[Lieven Marchand]

Dr. John E. McLaughlin writes:
 > "Brown" is a good example (assuming for the sake of argument, of
 > course, that "brown" is derived from "bruin" [or some such history]).
 > Since "bruin" is on the way out in Modern English, "brown" is moving
 > into the realm of a basic color term.

What's the story with bruin/brown in English?

bruin is the word for brown in Dutch and according to Merriam-Webster
bruin in English is an (obsolete?) word for bear borrowed from the
Middle-Dutch animal fable "Van den vos Reynaerde". Also according to
M-W brown has the following etymology:
Middle English broun, from Old English brun; akin to Old High German
brun brown, Greek phrynE toad while the entry for bear states:
Middle English bere, from Old English bera; akin to Old English brun
brown.

The two words bear and brown were distinct in Reynaerde:
Dies was die coninc sciere beraden
Dat hi dus sprac te Bruun den beere:

I think at least in Dutch bruin is a basic color term.

Lieven Marchand