"Earworm"

[Laurence Horn]

At 5:59 PM -0800 3/3/05, Towse wrote:
>On Thu, 3 Mar 2005 20:40:43 -0500, Douglas G. Wilson <douglas at nb.net> wrote:
>>  >According to Heather Wood and the other fine folks at the Forum for Ballad
>>  >Scholars (<BALLAD-L at LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>), an "earworm" is a nagging tune
>>  >that is maddeningly difficult to get out of one's mind.  As far as anyone
>>  >knows, it's a hot new loan-translation of German Ohrwurm, a
>>"haunting melody."
>>
>>  German "Ohrwurm" is basically equivalent to English "earwig", I guess:
>>  according to legend the bug crawls into one's ear and cannot be removed, I
>>  think. So it would appear likely that the German word was used figuratively
>>  for "catchy tune" and then crudely 'translated' into English as "earworm"
>>  in spite of the existence of the 'proper' translation "earwig" and in spite
>>  of the existence of another (inappropriate) English word "earworm". However
>>  it is also possible that the loan went the other way, with English
>>  "earworm" coined by analogy with "computer worm" (something which sneaks
>>  into one's computer/software).
>>
>>  I find the figurative "Ohrwurm" (German) at Google Groups from 1991, the
>
>Paul McFedries covered this a while back.
>
><http://www.wordspy.com/words/earworm.asp>
>
>The earliest citation he has is by Howard Rheingold in "Untranslatable
>words," The Whole Earth Review, December 22, 1987

Ah, but you're all forgetting Prof. James Kellaris of the University
of Cincinnati, who gets (or at least demands) credit for
single-handedly inventing the word in 2000, only 13 years
post-Rheingold, as also discussed extensively on the list:

What's With That Song Stuck in Your Head?

By RACHEL KIPP, AP

ALBANY, N.Y. (Oct. 20 [2003]) - Unexpected and insidious, the earworm
slinks its way
into the brain and refuses to leave. Symptoms vary, although high levels of
annoyance and frustration are common. There are numerous potential treatments,
but no cure.
        ''The Lion Sleeps Tonight,'' and Chili's ''baby back ribs''
jingle are two
songs that are tough to shake.
        ''Earworm'' is the term coined by University of Cincinnati marketing
professor James Kellaris for the usually unwelcome songs that get
stuck in people's
heads. Since beginning his research in 2000, Kellaris has heard from people all
over the world requesting help, sharing anecdotes and offering solutions...