Girdle String --> G-string?

[Douglas G. Wilson]

Sam Clements wrote:
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Sam Clements <SClements at NEO.RR.COM>
> Subject:      Re: Girdle String --> G-string?
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> I'm only surprised it took this long for this to be the main theory.
--

I for one don't consider this ("girdle" > "G") the most likely etymology
(but that don't make it false). From the evidence I see, the etymology
is still plain unknown. I don't see why "girdle" should be so
abbreviated (although of course there are possible explanations, e.g.,
taboo), and before strongly favoring such a theory I think one should at
least cite some analogous development (e.g., if there is some case where
19th-century "belly band" > "B-band" [imaginary and perhaps not very
good example]).

I myself think the violin-string etymology is entirely plausible (but
that don't make it true).

The possibility of the shape of the item being likened to the letter "G"
(maybe to a handwritten lower-case "g") can be considered also (cf.
"O-ring", "C-clamp", etc., maybe).

Another 'plausible' possibility: there are/were straps or reins used for
steering draft horses, called "gee" (right) and "haw" (left). I don't
know too much about this myself, being a young city person, but one can
Google "gee strap", "gee rein", etc. ... and even "gee string" in this
sense (once, at G. Books: enter exact phrase "gee and the haw strings")..

And finally one can find "gee strap" (twice, at G. Books) referring to
some sort of strap for a man's hat. I don't know the etymology for this
(maybe the above horse-strap term?), but whatever it is I suppose maybe
it might could apply to the lower-body garment's name also.

And then maybe there's another etymology, the true one, which nobody's
mentioned yet ....

-- Doug Wilson

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