# From whence and when did the term "Woo" as a term for crackpottery come to prominence? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 19, 2011, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-whence-and-when-did-the-term-woo-as-a-term-for-crackpottery-come-to-prominence/568193 "2011-01-19T13:35:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 36
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2011, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-whence-and-when-did-the-term-woo-as-a-term-for-crackpottery-come-to-prominence/568193/36 "2011-01-21T02:54:25Z")
Looking through the Google results, the term seems to appear in the late 80s. Joe E. Barnhart, Stephen Winzenburg \*\*1988 \*\*“_Jim and Tammy: charismatic intrigue inside PTL_” > [@](#): > > Articles on Shirley Maclaine’s latest balmy excursions into Woo-Woo Land are easier to write, requiring minimum discipline and no scientific training at all. Terry Cole-Whittaker **1987** “\*Inner Path from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be: A Spiritual Odyssey” \* > [@](#): > > This is not a book about how to get to Woo- Woo Land. This is a book about how to make your life work right now, right here, today and tomorrow. Hillel Schwartz \*\*1990 \*\*"_Century’s end: a cultural history of the fin-de-siècle–from the 990s to the 1990s"_ > [@](#): > > available in the United States at 2500 New Age bookstores, which also carry cassettes of the soothing music of George Winston, a stride pianist suspicious of New Age “woo-woos” but “half woo-woo myself.” Laura Coltelli **1990** “_Winged words: American Indian writers speak_” > [@](#): > > They’re deeply engaged in learning self-reliance — and in forming communities that are realistic instead of just woo-woo, sentimental rose- colored-glasses stuff. \*The ecologist: Volumes 20-21 \* **1990** > [@](#): > > Many within the movement worry about excessive preoccupation with spirituality, with what they call “woo woo”. John Davis, himself responsible for much discussion of spirituality and ritual, cautions: > "Spiritual approaches to the planet seem to be of growing concern these days. The last issue of the Journal reflects this trend. We ran many articles on sacred sites, rituals, and such, but very few articles pertaining to specific wild lands. (Almost we replaced ‘No Compromise in Defense of Mother Earth’ on the masthead with ‘All Aboard the Woo Woo Choo Choo’.) Marjorie Gersh \*\*1990 \*\* “_California and Hawaii publishing market place: a comprehensive directory of markets, resources, and opportunities for writers_” In a list of things not to submit for publication > [@](#): > > Do not want: poetry; fiction; children’s; get-rich-quick; “woo-woo” new age. Rik Scarce **1990** _“Eco-warriors: understanding the radical environmental movement”_ > [@](#): > > There is also a “woo-woo” faction of highly spiritual devotees of Earth First! who prefer meditation to action. From an etymological point of view, these references indicate that the term became popularised in certain groups in the late 70s/ early 80s sometime. By the late 80s the term was still unusual enough that it required quotes when used alone. The fact that “woo woo land” is used multiple times in the late 80s and doesn’t receive quotes suggests that either this is the real origin of the expression, or else it is self-evident enough not to require them. I did find one \*possible \*reference from **1976** “_Spiritus mundi: essays on literature, myth, and society_” Northrop Frye. Referring to the work of German author Oswald Spengler: > [@](#): > > He is fond of murky biological language, like calling man “a splendid beast of prey” and much of his imagery is Halloween imagery full of woo- woo noises and shivery Wagnerian whinnies about the “dark” goings-on of nature and destiny. The relevance of this is debatable IMO. The reference is to woo-woo noises. not to woo woo beliefs, and as **Nametag** points out, there are endless examples of onomatopoeic usage of “woo” prior to the late 80s. However it is interesting for two reasons. Firstly it is the earliest use of the term in reference to pseudoscientific writings. Secondly it supports the “ghost/scary noises” origin of the term. It is clear from context that it is meant to refer to scary noises, and that he knew that his audience would understand that without it being explained. So while I’m undecided that this is the earliest example of woo-woo being used to mean garbage, it is an interesting date point. > [@Chipacabra](#): > > I don’t know about origin, but the phrase always makes me think of Daffy Duck going into an insanity fit. Me too. In fact that’s where I always assumed it originated. > [@Bugs Bunny 1939](#): > > Ohhhhhh, Im going cuckoo, woo-woo! > Here comes the choo-choo, woo-woo! > Im so gooney, Looney Tuney, tetched in the head > Please pass the ketchup, I think Ill go to bed! > Am I the screwball, woo-woo/ Throw me the eightball, woo-woo > Once I knew a thing or two > now Im a buckaroo > Hinky-dinky parlais… vous-woo! And of course it was used by the Three Stooges as well, in a similar context. So there seem to be two equally plausible explanations: the “spooky ghost noise” explanation and the Daffy Duck style madness “woo woo” sound. The Frye reference given above suggests the ghost story origin. The “Woo Woo Land” usages popular in the 80s suggests the Daffy Duck origin. --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-whence-and-when-did-the-term-woo-as-a-term-for-crackpottery-come-to-prominence/568193)._