Gary in San Antonio, Texas, wonders if the term train of thought, meaning a line of reasoning or narrative, predates locomotives. It does indeed, going back to the idea of train meaning anything trailing behind, like a bridal train. This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Train of Thought Before Trains?”
Hello, you have A Way with Words.
Hello, this is Gary Sarley in San Antonio, Texas.
Hi, Gary. Welcome to the show.
Hi, Gary. What’s up?
Yeah, I had a question about a particular thing called a train of thought or trains of thought. Is that saying from before railroads were invented or did it have something to do with railroads?
Like if you lose your train of thought?
Yes.
Yeah. Do you have a guess?
I would think that it’s older than that, and it refers to trains as in the train on a gown or something like that.
Well, you’re right.
Yeah, when I was growing up, I always thought it had to do with the train just going off the tracks. You know, I lost my train of thought.
But indeed, this expression goes back even farther than that. And as you suggested, it has to do with the train like a bride’s train on her wedding gown or something like that.
It’s a really, really old word, goes back to Old French, and has to do with the tracks or a trail or just something drawn out, whether it’s cloth or it could be a caravan or something like that.
But it definitely predates railroads by several hundred years.
Oh, okay. All right. Well, that answers that question.
And the train of thought, by the way, doesn’t come from the train either. So the train of thought expression connects to the older meanings of train also before the existence of railroad trains.
So just to put that clear, so not only is train of thought not as old as trains, but it doesn’t connect to trains. It’s not the source of the expression.
Okay.
Your hunch was right.
Oh, all right. Well, that’s good. I’ll try not to get sidetracked in the future.
Sidetracked. Very nice.
Okay, Gary, thank you for calling.
Thanks. We really appreciate it.
All righty.
Okay, bye. Take care.
Bye-bye.
