G-string

[Jan Ivarsson TransEdit]

Could it not be that the "G" simply comes from "genitals"?
Jan Ivarsson

----- Original Message ----- > 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