Take my word for it.

If you want to get your teenager's attention, all you have to do is go, "Have you seen my thongs?"

Maybe you could say it again, in case he or she didn't hear. "HAVE YOU SEEN MY THONGS?"

While you're at it, why not say this in front of his or her friends.

Who knows? Maybe those friends have seen your THONGS.

You could even ask if anyone has borrowed your THONGS. And then after unloading that question, you should challenge yourself to use the word THONGS as many times as humanly possible for the next five minutes, even if you just stand there in the middle of the room going THONGS THONGS THONGS THONGS THONGS THONGS and also THONGS.

This will drive your kid into paroxysms of laughter. Or therapy …

Therapist: Exactly why are you here?

Your kid: Because I'm having flashbacks involving thongs and my mother.

Therapist: Ew.

The reason I even bring this up is that I recently spent some time on the beach with my extended family where certain adults occasionally got mixed up and used the word THONGS in front of people born after the year 1980.

And ha ha ha ha ha ha! A good time was had by all! Especially when all the old people started talking about their THONGS!

The other reason I mention THONGS is that a few weeks ago I asked you to send in examples of words that are no longer commonly used, and man oh man did you guys belly up to the challenge!

EXTRA CREDIT FOR ALL OF YOU!

The next time I see you I will give you a big fat "abbraccio" and a sloppy kiss on each cheek.

Anyway.

I spent many pleasant hours reading about "pocketbooks" and "Poindexters," "dips" and "drips," "hoods" and "hayseeds," "scallywags" and "snake oil salesmen." (You, too, can join in the reindeer games by checking out readers' online comments for the June 15 column by clicking here)

What I found particularly interesting, however, were the words whose meanings have shifted. Seismically. Like THONG, for example.

For those of you who have been living on remote islands with Japanese soldiers who haven't heard about the whole VJ-Day thing yet, THONGS used to be a form of footwear.

At the first hint of summer you ditched your loafers and slipped into something more comfortable, i.e. THONGS, which your mother bought for you at Sprouse-Reitz.

And when you slipped them on you thought to yourself, "This is exactly like wearing air."

Which may be how people who wear THONGS now feel. Dude! I feel like I'm wearing air! Really super sexy air!

And good for them.

I just wish the word hadn't been hijacked by the United Underwear Makers of America because I STILL want it to be about my shoes.

Especially this time of year when the livin' is easy (and the fish are jumpin' and the cotton is high).

I just want to kick back and chill in my … flip-flops.

e-mail: acannon@desnews.com