Etymology: Thong

There are just some words that make me titter. Titter, for example, is hilarious. The other day I saw a coworker wearing a sandal known as a thong. Thong is DEFINITELY a word that makes me titter. The main reason? This book. It was very popular during my intern days and it still makes me laugh today.

So I looked up the word "thong" in the old Oxford English Dictionary, one of my absolute favorite databases. There are meanings, sure. I included the first one. But I love learning about a word's different forms and its etymology. Here's what we have for "thong" from the OED:

Pronunciation: Brit. /θɒŋ/, U.S. /θɔŋ/, /θɑŋ/Forms: α. OE ðwong, ðuong, ðwangc, þwæng, ðuuencg, OE–ME þwang; ME thuang, ME (Sc. and north.–18) thwang (ME thwange, twange, 15 thwangue), ME–16 Sc. thwayng. β. ME þwong, þuong(e, ME thwong(e (dial. twonge). γ. ME þong, ME– thong, (ME þonge, thongh, 15–16 thonge, 15 thongue). δ. ME thownge, thowyng; dial.17–18 thung, thunk, thonk.(Show Less)Etymology: Old English þwang , þwǫng strong masculine (also feminine); also, Old Northumbrian plural ðuuencgu , N. Anglian þwænga , agreeing with Old Norse þvengr ( < þvaŋgiz ); all from ablaut stem *þwing- , *þwang- , *þwung- , to restrain < Indo-European root *twenk : compare German zwingen : see twing n., twinge v.1, and compare the dialect form whang n.1

Definition: a.) A narrow strip of hide or leather, for use as a lace, cord, band, strap, or the like.

I also thought this sample sentence was funny:

1981 - H. Engel Ransom Game (1982) xxx. 197 She..handed me a pair of Japanese thongs. I slipped them on and felt the skin between my first two toes protest.