I don't buy that etymology, even in the expanded context. It seems like a dutch pronunciation of titter/teeter, and an amalgamation of a few words that became r

I don't buy that etymology, even in the expanded context. It seems like a dutch pronunciation of titter/teeter, and an amalgamation of a few words that became really popular and "cool". I might dig out my norse etymology dictionary and a magnifying glass and try to trace it back further. -- From Etymonline: Teeter: 1843, "to seesaw," alteration of Middle English titter "move unsteadily," probably from a Scandinavian source akin to Old Norse titra "to shake, shiver, totter, tremble," from Proto-Germanic *ti-tra- (source also of German zittern "to tremble"). Meaning "move unsteadily, be on the edge of imbalance" is from 1844. [...]Noun teeter-totter "see-saw" is attested from 1871 (earlier simply teeter, 1855, and titter-totter in same sense is from *1520s*). Totter (n.) "board swing" is recorded from late 14c.;