An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Sprenkel

by Friedrich Kluge

Sprenkel (1.), m., ‘springe, noose, snare,’ ModHG. only, from LG.; comp. Du. sprenkel, ‘loop in a cable.’ The latter, like OHG. sprinka, MidHG. sprinke, f., ‘bird-trap,’ is based on a prim. form springjô, from which E. springe is also derived. This prim. form is probably cognate with Lith. sprìngti, ‘to choke,’ sprangùs, ‘choking,’ Lett. sprangāt, ‘to cord, confine.’

Sprenkel (2.), m., ‘speck, spot,’ from MidHG. (MidG.) spręnkel, sprinkel, m., ‘spot,’ for which in MidHG. a form sprëckel without a nasal is used (also *sprünkel in sprünkelëht, ‘spotted’), allied to Ic. sprekla, Swed. spräkla, ‘little spot,’ Swiss šprigel, šprägel. These cognates may be connected with E. to freak, freckle, and further with Gr. περκνός, Sans. pṛçni, ‘spotted, variegated,’ if sprek (spreg) and prek (preg) be regarded as the Aryan roots (with regard to the interchange of sp and p, comp. that of st and t under drosseln and Stier). In that case there would probably be no historic connection between sprenkeln and springen.