[Ads-l] Antedating of G-string
Dave Hause
dwhause at CABLEMO.NET
Sat Apr 2 05:01:36 UTC 2016
Carrying around fifteen inch ANYTHING in their G-strings would seem likely
to have had a significant effect on Washington's subsequent demography.
Dave Hause
-----Original Message-----
From: Baker, John
Sent: Friday, April 1, 2016 10:42 AM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Antedating of G-string
The OED and Merriam-Webster have G-string, a breech-cloth, from 1878,
although I think it's been taken back at least to 1877 on ADS-L. Here's an
example from 1875. Notably, it uses the spelling "G-string," although the
earliest examples previously found have "geestring" or "gee-string." This
is from the (Washington, D.C.) National Republican, May 21, 1875
(Newspapers.com).
"Quite a number of the Sioux Indians visited the navy yard yesterday, and
spent an hour among the big guns. They appear more peaceable and child-like
now. If they could only be made to carry a battery or two of those
fifteen-inch Long Toms in their G-string pouches, as silent reminders of our
prowess, it might have a salutary effect on them."
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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
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