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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
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Here's one which puzzles me. We say "turn on the light", meaning cause electricity to flow through a light bulb. But why "turn on"? It's usually a switch with a lever rather than a rheostat. So I'm assuming that the origin of the phrase will be related to a spigot on a barrel (well, I would, wouldn't I, given my interest in real ale?  ). But I can't find any definite origin for the term. Anyone able to help?
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
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If to guess is to help, I would offer this suggestion: in the olden days they had round, surface-mounted wall swithes with center-mounted levers that you turned to open or close the circuit. Well before dimmers hit suburbia.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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See: http://snipurl.com/dvemThese were quite common in the 20s and 30s. I lived in two houses that had them. They are fully rotary and turn clockwise. The switching system survives today in pretty much all the table lamps you buy. Hurry up and look at this link because it's a google to ebay and may not be up much longer for viewing.
TEd
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
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"See:"
That's the one. (What they don't sell on ebay!)
Speaking of "turn on," did Timothy Leary ever write from heaven?
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
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survives today in pretty much all the table lamps you buy
Actually you don't find this type of switch on table lamps in the UK. I remember being quite confused when I first encountered one in the USA, and of course I didn't immediately discover that the light got brighter if I turned it a second and third time.
Anyway, I remember light switches in my grandparent's house that probably dated back to about 1920 and had been put in to replace the gas lamps that were in fact still in place (maybe even operating - I remember seeing that somewhere*) at the time I'm recalling. The casing and knob on that old electric switch had been cast just like the gas tap on the gas lamp and I suspect they were all like that in the early days of domestic electicity installation - just automatically made like the familiar ones for the gas lamps, so they were turned on just like y'all's table lamps are still today.
* The gas lamps had delicate and fragile porcelain mantles, shaped like a thimble, that glowed brilliant white fading to yellow around the edges. They were always breaking it seems to me, but darned if I can track the memory down to a specific time and place.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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y'all's Excellent! I now anoint you Hon'r'ry Sutheneh, Dix(b)ie!
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
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Oh, no! Please! Not that! 
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
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<<...porcelain mantles...>>
Never seen one of those. The kind I'm familiar with come as silk, which you burn after installation, leaving a fine net of ash. At any rate, I would guess that to "turn up [or down]" the lamp comes from your gas lamps, or from kerosene lamps.
As to Dr. Leary, I only ask because he promised to write and there were those who were watching for it. I am, incidentally, neither follower nor critic of his.
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addict
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So doesn't it seem likely that 'turn on' the light comes from gas lamps which predated electric ones, and is about turning on the supply of gas (rather than the supply of beer as Capfka first suggested)?
Admitted and acknowledged non-sequitur:
On the radio recently I heard an interview with some war artists about their experiences. One of them talked about arriving at a military base in Iraq and described all the noise and activity, with 'soldiers coming and going, helicopters taking on and off' etc etc etc.
I could follow how this had happened in speech and I knew what he meant (at least I assume I do!), but my mind blanked at visualising a helicopter 'taking on'. Taking on what? Or just taking on as in having a hissy fit or tantrum? I rather liked it!
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
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<<So doesn't it seem likely that 'turn on' the light comes from gas lamps which predated electric ones, and is about turning on the supply of gas (rather than the supply of beer as Capfka first suggested)?>>
With gas, I think it would be "light the light," and "turn *up* the light." But, maybe, "turn on the gas" went to "turn on the light." All guesses. No authoriities.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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My friend in Pittsburgh says open the light.
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In French you "ferme" (close) the light rather than turn it off.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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In Indonesian you matikan lampu (kill the lights).
Bingley
Bingley
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
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<<matikan lampu>>
And at the Metropolitan Opera you "strike electric," but that's a union shop.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Hmm. Pure lazyness on my part on trying to find a map on the web...where's Pittsburg Jackie? Is this anywhere near Québec? English Québecers most often say OPEN and CLOSE the lights. I'm not sure about the rest of Canada.
You're right Elizabeth, in French we say OUVRE (open) and FERME (close) the light.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Which one is on?
If it is close that would probably be a reference to closing the circuit so the electricity flows. If open means to turn the lights on, that might be a reference to opening a valve so the gas flows.
TEd
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Open is on, closed is off. Sorry, this is language, TEd, not logic!
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Oh, and turn on is what you're trying to do to somebody you flirt with. Wink-wink-nudge-nudge.
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
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<<Turn on is what you're trying to do to somebody you flirt with.>>
And I thought turn on was what you did with someone you were done forever flirting with.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Non, non, the part after turned on is rather short-lived really. 
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
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<<Non, non, the part after turned on is rather short-lived really.>>
My point exactly: who was it who said, "love is fleeting -- rancor, eternal"?
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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When two lovers join in sweet meeting ~
Hearts leaping, lips meeting, souls greeting,
We know it won’t last
But we can’t wish it past,
Be the ecstasy ever so fleeting!
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