earworm (was Re: Secret OED files uncovered)

[Ann Burlingham]

On Fri, Aug 6, 2010 at 2:10 PM, Mark Mandel <thnidu at gmail.com> wrote:
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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Mark Mandel <thnidu at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      earworm (was Re: Secret OED files uncovered)
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> "Earworm" ("a catchy tune that frequently gets stuck in your head") not
> suitable for OED? It's standard among my online friends. Let's see...

I was surprised, while watching (a whole lot of) Never Mind the
Buzzcocks recently on YouTube, to hear a celebrity contestant use
"earworm" casually, as if her auditors would know it. They seemed to,
as nobody questioned her. I've never heard anyone outside my circle
use the word. When I use it, I usually have to explain it. But there's
someone called DJ Earworm out there, so it seems to be gaining ground.

Anyway, if it's useful (I know it's amusing), Myleene Klass says "It's
an earworm, it's just there" at 9:13 in the Never Mind The Buzzcocks
S21E06 (Part 2) [Series 2, Episode 6] clip:
http://youtu.be/vHA3BmwUA9k

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