etymology of "wannabe"

[Harold F. Schiffman]

What's the problem here?  Isn't wannabe derived from "want to be" i.e.
somebody who wants to be something/someone they're not?  Isn't this what
is meant by an etymology?  I can't give a first attestation, but surely
this is a no-brainer?

Hal Schiffman

On Tue, 15 Feb 2000 samuels at anthro.umass.edu wrote:

> Dear Benjamin,
>
> Certainly "wannabe" is used by Native Americans, sometimes with the
> emphasis on the second syllable to make it sound like the name of an exotic
> tribe.  (Like the Hakawe tribe in "F-Troop," known in non-tv circles as the
> "Fakawe.")  Usually used to refer to whites cathected to Indian
> spirituality, in my experience.
>
> That's not an etymology, of course...
>
> Best,
>
>
> David W. Samuels
> Assistant Professor
> Department of Anthropology
> 212 Machmer Hall
> University of Massachusetts
> Amherst, MA 01003
>
> VOX: (413) 545-2702
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> email: samuels at anthro.umass.edu
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>
> wot 2 be got 2 be
>
>