--- In norse_course@..., "jeffco" <jeffco@...> wrote:

> I wonder if someone could possibly throw any light on this

question? I'm trying to find out whether there is any connection
between hverr, supposedly ON for "kettle", and kirna, which is
supposed to be ON for "churn".

> Jean Kelly

Neither ON "hverr" (m. a kettle, cauldron) or ON "hverr" (m. a hot
spring) appear to have any meaningful connection with ON "kvern" (f.
a quern-stone, millstone; quern, handmill. The interogative or
indefinite pronoun "hverr" is also presumably unconnected. "Hverr"
in the meaning "kettle" or "cauldron" has E preserved its original
stem-vowel (E) from proto-Norse, whereas the pronominal "hverr" has
shifted its stem-vowel from A to E - thus appearing superficially
related to "hverr" (kettle/cauldron). The feminine "kvern" begins
with the sound represented by K in Norse, as in other Germanic
tongues, while "hverr" preserves proto-Norse H. "Kirna" (in the
meaning "churn") is a feminine, like "kvern", and begins with the
sound represented by K, thus again suggesting a lack of meaningful
relation with masculine "hverr" (with proto-Norse H). I hope this
throws some light on the question.

Regards,
Konrad