From: b.scott@csuohio.edu   
      
   On Sun, 05 Oct 2014 21:46:43 +0100, Jacey Bedford   
    wrote in   
    in   
   rec.arts.sf.composition:   
      
   > On 05/10/2014 13:32, William Vetter wrote:   
      
   [...]   
      
   >> The electric switch came after development of railroads, I think.   
      
   >> I will tell you what I think the ultimate origin is, based on looking this   
   up in various places.   
   >> 1) switch was first a stick involved in horsemanship.   
   >> 2) the railroad switches were originally operated manually, by a lever that   
   was about as long as a switch or riding crop, so they came to be called   
   switches in US.   
   >> 3) electrical switches were named after the railroad switch, on account of   
   analogous function.   
   >> #2 is the murkiest of word origins of the three.  I am not an expert, but   
   this seems the most logical, after looking through what I have around.   
      
   > You're ignoring the obvious that to switch means to change.   
      
   Except that railway switches, known by that name, precede   
   the earliest examples of the verb  meaning 'to   
   change'.   
      
   Brian   
   --   
   It was the neap tide, when the baga venture out of their   
   holes to root for sandtatties.  The waves whispered   
   rhythmically over the packed sand: haggisss, haggisss,   
   haggisss.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)