[Ads-l] Media request: Why are bank locations called branches?

[Chris Waigl]

FWIW, the metaphor is not just present in English. The German term is
Zweigstelle (twig location) .

On Tue, Oct 17, 2023 at 1:56 PM Cohen, Gerald Leonard <gcohen at mst.edu>
wrote:

> Dear ADS-L members,
>
> Today I received a request from Public radio reporter Janet
> Nguyen for insight as to why bank locations are called
> branches, and with her permission I am sharing her message
> with ads-l.
>
> Would anyone be able to help on this?  Any thoughts would be
> very gratefully received.
>
> Gerald Cohen
>
> P.S. Here are her two messages to me today:
>
> Hi Professor Cohen,
>
> This is Janet Nguyen, with Marketplace! I hope you have been doing
> well since we last spoke for the piece I wrote on the origins
> of the term check<
> https://www.marketplace.org/2022/08/05/check-please-but-wait-isnt-it-a-bill/>
> . I am reaching out to you because I am writing another
> etymology-based piece, this time looking at why bank locations are
> called branches and whether any other businesses use that term
>  (of course, in politics, you have the judicial, legislative and executive
> branches).
>
> I was wondering if you have any insight into this, or know anyone who
> would be able to help. This will be for a written piece on our website,
>  set to be published this Friday. As always, any help would be greatly
>  appreciated. Thank you so much.
>
> Best,
>
> Janet
>
> [Brief follow up]:
>
>  ...And to add one note: I know that other operations also use
> the word branch, like libraries and the YMCA, so would love if
> anyone can either comment on: 1) Why banks are called branches
> 2) Why any organization with a headquarters and separate locations
>  call those non-headquarter locations branches.
>
> Best,
>
> Janet
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>


-- 
Chris Waigl . chris.waigl at gmail.com . chris at lascribe.net
http://eggcorns.lascribe.net . http://chryss.eu

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org