Cranberries (Re: ho 'circle')

[Alan H. Hartley]

Koontz John E wrote:

> That makes sense, though I kind of wonder what the modifier might be.
> Sort of like "cranberry" in English, though there etymologists actually
> know what a cran is.  (For those who haven't had Introduction to
> Linguistics or a similar course where this initiation secret was revealed,
> 'cran' = 'bog', and 'cran' as such is attested in some English or
> neighboring Germanic dialects, e.g. Scottish.)

Just checked American Heritage, Random House, and OED, and they all
agree on a (probably Low) German word like kraanbere 'cranberry,' lit.
'crane-berry.' Cf. also Sw. tranbär, Da. tranebaer 'cranberry' < trana,
trane, 'crane.' I'm open to persuasion though!

Alan