Romagnolo "fe(r) e' curdo(n)" 'fare le fusa'

In this article the Romagnolo locution fe(r) e' curdo(n) 'to purr' is considered in regard to its etymology. It is argued that the word curdo(n) 'string' is a paretymological reinterpretation of burdon 'burden, drone', a technical music term designating the lowest course of a lute and, more generally, a uniform bass accompaniment. Hence the locution would have been playfully applied to the purr of cats, whose noise resembles a bass accompaniment because of its low pitch and assiduity.