An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/schalten

by Friedrich Kluge

schalten, verb, ‘to go or push against the stream, direct, regulate,’ from Middle High German schalten, ‘to push, impel (especially a ship), set a-going, drive.’ Just as Latin gubernare came to mean ‘to direct, rule,’ so schalten acquired in Modern High German the sense of ‘to direct,’ Old High German scaltan,‘to push,’ Old Saxon skaldan, ‘to impel a ship’; a corresponding term is wanting in the other Teutonic dialects. Origin obscure. For derivatives see schelten. In Modern High German Schalter, ‘sash window,’ Middle High German schalter, schelter, ‘bolt,’ the primary meaning of schalten gleams through; so too in Schaltjahr, Middle High German and Old High German schalt-jâr, neuter, ‘intercalary year,’ so named because a day is inserted.