Date: Wed, 7 Jan 1998 08:56:56 -0500

From: Alan Baragona baragonasa[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]VAX.VMI.EDU

Subject: Beetle



A recent NYT article said that the Times was the first to describe the

Volkswagen as a "beetle." RHD doesn't list "Beetle" as a car, and I

don't have access to OED2 here at the moment. Could someone with access

to Lexis confirm whether "Beetle" as a name for the car predates the

Times reference? And if there isn't one in print, is there any

indication from the Times whether it was coining the term or reflecting

usage in speech at the time?



Alan B.