G-string

[Fred Shapiro]

On Tue, 6 May 2003, Laurence Horn wrote:

> >I think the G-string (originally a string supporting a loincloth or so) was
> >most likely named after the lowest string of a violin, although the
> >alternative of coincidental origin from some Amerind word is not impossible
> >AFAIK.
> >
> Is it relevant that the earliest listed cited (1878, 1885) spelled it
> "gee(-)string", while the musical strings are always spelled G string
> (with letter and sans hyphen)?

Also note the third citation in OED: 1891 Harper's Mag. Dec. 36/2 Some of
the boys wore only G-strings (as, for some reason, the breech-clout is
commonly called on the prairie).  Were prairie folk that musically
oriented that they would come up with a musical term for this item?

Fred Sha[orp


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