If you were at a beach and you had on flip flops and an old guy (70 or so) decided to give you a compliment and say nice thongs, what would you do?

[gta_fan]

would you consider his age and assume he meant flip flops (in the 60s, thongs were widely known as flip-flops (and not underwear))

[Chazmatazz269]

That name lasted much longer than that. We were still calling them thongs when i was in skool. When thong underwear grew in popularity, i was confused more than a few times. The first person i remember using “flip-flops” was a kid in my mother’s daycare. I adopted the term right away in the hope that i could cut down on unnecessary confusion. Ell oh ell!

[Communicationisking]

I'd say G'day mate because he possibly is an Aussie as I assume only americans call them flip flops

[Anonymous]

I would say, "if you like my flip-flops so much, I can give them to you so you can wear them, uncle."

[Nikki1989]

Who looks at footwear at the beach?

[slatyb]

I would say "thanks". I get compliments on my clothes from time to time, often "where did you get that shirt?".

[Staximus]

I wake up at 10pm, leave for work at 10:40, get to work at 10:55 and and clock in at 10:56.

[TheSpaceGnome]

Lol foot thongs.

[gta_fan]

The word thong originally referred to a narrow strip of leather or fabric, especially used for tying or fastening. and you fasten flip flops so they don't go flying when you walk

[TheSpaceGnome]

Yeah etymology can be pretty interesting.
I wonder how English would sound if we never changed the meaning of any of its words.