Transitivity of つる with the meaning "to cramp"

Question

泳ぐ前に、しっかり準備体操をするのを忘れない、というのを注意した方がいいと思います。
I think I should warn (people) not to forget to warm up properly before swimming.
そうですね。私も時々水の中で足をツッてしまいますから、みなさんも注意してください。
That's right. I also sometimes get cramp in my legs in the water, so please pay attention.

It first I thought ツッて came from 吊る and I read it as "dangle my legs in the water", but that makes no sense from context. So I checked the dictionary and found "to cramp". But the dictionary doesn't say that this is a transitive verb and it doesn't seem to me like it should be. So how can I understand 足をつる. How should I use this verb normally?

Answer 1

Strictly speaking, 「つる」 is an intransitive verb when used for the meaning of "to have a cramp in ~~". So, you would say 「足{あし}がつる」 rather than 「足をつる」 if you were to follow the dictionary.

In real life, however, quite a few native speakers do say 「足をつる」 as if they make it happen of their own will.

I would advise that you learn it as an "officially" intransitive verb but be ready to encounter those who might think otherwise because the "misusage" is not all that rare in this case.