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Where Did The Expression 'OK' Come From? by Sagewood: 5:28pm On Apr 14, 2013 |
IT STARTED WITH A JOKE OK, here's the story. On Saturday, March 23, 1839, the editor of the Boston Morning Post published a humorous article about a satirical organization called the "Anti-Bell Ringing Society " in which he wrote: The "Chairman of the Committee on Charity Lecture Bells," is one of the deputation, and perhaps if he should return to Boston, via Providence, he of the Journal, and his train-band, would have his "contribution box," et ceteras, o.k.—all correct—and cause the corks to fly, like sparks, upward. It wasn't as strange as it might seem for the author to coin OK as an abbreviation for "all correct." There was a fashion then for playful abbreviations like i.s.b.d (it shall be done), r.t.b.s (remains to be seen), and s.p. (small potatoes). They were the early ancestors of OMG, LOL, and tl;dr. A twist on the trend was to base the abbreviations on alternate spellings or misspellings, so "no go" was k.g. (know go) and "all right" was o.w. (oll write). So it wasn't so surprising for someone come up with o.k. for oll korrect. What is surprising is that it ended up sticking around for so long while the other abbreviations faded away. THEN IT GOT LUCKY OK got lucky by hitting the contentious presidential election jackpot. During the 1840 election the "oll korrect" OK merged with Martin van Buren's nickname, Old Kinderhook, when some van Buren supporters formed the O.K. Club. After the club got into a few tussles with Harrison supporters, OK got mixed up with slandering and sloganeering. It meant out of kash, out of karacter, orful katastrophe, orfully confused, all kwarrelling or any other apt phrase a pundit could come up with. It also got mixed up with the popular pastime of making fun of van Buren's predecessor, Andrew Jackson, for his poor spelling. One paper published a half-serious claim that OK originated with Jackson using it as a mark for "all correct" (ole kurrek) on papers he had inspected. OK was the "misunderestimated," "refudiated," and "binders full of women" of its day, and it may have ended up with the same transitory fate if not for the fact that at the very same time, the telegraph was coming into use, and OK was there, a handy abbreviation, ready to be of service. By the 1870s it had become the standard way for telegraph operators to acknowledge receiving a transmission, and it was well on its way to becoming the greatest American word. |
Re: Where Did The Expression 'OK' Come From? by bigt2(m): 5:33pm On Apr 14, 2013 |
Ok, its noted!! |
Re: Where Did The Expression 'OK' Come From? by Darlenebabe: 5:40pm On Apr 14, 2013 |
its came frm d yoruba .... atins na dem sabi book pass lols. |
Re: Where Did The Expression 'OK' Come From? by Darlenebabe: 5:42pm On Apr 14, 2013 |
its came frm d yoruba cos dem sabi book well well |
Re: Where Did The Expression 'OK' Come From? by bigt2(m): 7:14pm On Apr 14, 2013 |
Darlene babe: its came frm d yoruba cos dem sabi book well welllike ''okeeeeoooo '' in the retrospect, i thought the word 'ok' was coined from the full okay! @op, thanks for throwing light on this (if its really true). Im sorry for ur topic may not reach the fp! (im not being pessimistic; cos i have many insightful topics beter that those on fp on Nl that failed to reach d fp as an ascertion to that effect) |
Re: Where Did The Expression 'OK' Come From? by tpia5: 2:14am On Apr 16, 2013 |
point of the thread? |
Re: Where Did The Expression 'OK' Come From? by Sagewood: 7:57am On Apr 16, 2013 |
This is not about getting the topic to the front page. I wanted to share this article with those that are interested in getting to know the "possible" origin of this widely and commonly used word in everyday life. Some people can be really short- sighted. All they want to read in the front page are scandals. |
Re: Where Did The Expression 'OK' Come From? by bigt2(m): 11:32am On Apr 16, 2013 |
Sagewood: This is not about getting the topic to the front page. I wanted to share this article with those thatin a counter to you postulating yourself as placid about the fp issue, i need to tell you that 99 percent of posters on Nl posts topics in anticipation of reaching the fp! U inclusive!!! |
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