There are countless, often spurious and unconvincing, etymologies for OK. I just came across this one. Apparently, it's the emphatic form of 'yes' ('waw-kay') in the African language, Wolof. OK arrived in North America via the slave trade, but racism then and since meant its true origin was ignored.
The main alternative seems to be that 'OK' arose from an early nineteenth century fad for joke abbreviations.
Any thoughts? ********************************************************** 07-17-04, 02:30 PM mozart56 Here's another source with many different explanations on how it could've appeared. Smile Looks like no one knows for sure.
07-18-04, 05:24 AM FredPuli The Oxford English Dictionary's team of researchers are always being asked this question. For what it's worth they have examined all poular claimants, including such gems as it being from a native language of some African or American people and that it's from 'au quai' ( To the quay') in French (from a supposed expression in passing goods as fit for shipping in Louisiana)
They narrowed it down to two contenders. First is Orl Korrect for 'all correct'. This form of humorous spelling became all the rage for a while. We still have shades of it in using K like that anyway (Krispy Kreme anyone? ). There were numerous other examples of the orl korrect type but none of them caught on. OK is just more useful, readily and more sharply abbreviated than others. Coincidentally at the same time as this was in vogue Harding was running for President. 'Old Kinderhoek' was his nickname. It was natural for his campaigners to style him O.K. put O.K. for Old Kinderhoek, which itself is hardly snappy. Now therefore the second contender is OK for the candidate; the idea being that people associated OK with everything that was good or at best were hoped to.
You may guess which of these two contenders the O E D tends to favour. Either the slogan involving OK (it was also a club for the candidate's supporters) was so synonymous with good or fine or it was that the campaign seized upon a happy and currently 'in' usage and spelling.
07-18-04, 09:59 AM coldfuse Sinmply as clarification, Martin Van Buren - a native of Kinderhook, NY - was the President nicknamed "Old Kinderhook."
My understanding has been that Van Buren often used "OK" when initialing documents for approval, thus making "OK" a response of agreement.
07-18-04, 01:01 PM DorianGreyed "Coincidentally at the same time as this was in vogue Harding was running for President. 'Old Kinderhoek' was his nickname. It was natural for his campaigners to style him O.K. put O.K. for Old Kinderhoek, which itself is hardly snappy." - Fredpuli
I am certain that Fred meant Van Buren rather than Harding, who came almost a century later. I have also read what Fuse has, that O.K. was Van Buren's 'shorthand' for agreeing to a document.
07-19-04, 02:38 AM FredPuli Yes I did mean Van Buren; that's the trouble with posting from Glaswegian internet cafes when en route to the Open Golf at Troon; Mac Murphy's law dictates that you'll spot the slip just milliseconds before being timed out (and then find you have no spare coins for more time) ! Big Grin
07-19-04, 11:14 PM coldfuse That or the edit function is on the Fritz Confused
07-20-04, 12:01 AM DorianGreyed NOT Fritzzs!!! Eek
07-20-04, 02:19 AM FredPuli Fritz [ who he? Ed. ] Or is it a thing called Fritz that it is on? Anyone know the origin of ' on the Fritz' ? It seems American; I, for one, have never heard it anywhere in Britain. It appears to mean 'on the blink' Smile.
07-20-04, 09:03 AM methos Fred - Yes, it's an Americanism dating to at least 1903 that is synonymous with on the blink. No one knows for sure where it came from, and I haven't heard any good guesses either.
07-20-04, 11:34 AM Fritzzs Oh, hi there.... Did someone call me ????
"on the fritz" means just that...."on the fritz"
You see, the Fritz was my grandfathers boat, and everytime he was "on the Fritz" he would get totally soused, really drunk... Hence; whenever he would drink, the polite term my grandmother would use is Grandad is "on the Fritz".... And thats the truth.... And yes, in case you are wondering, I was named after my grandads boat....
07-20-04, 02:20 PM DorianGreyed Fritzzs, I think there are times that you have some Old Granddad in you.
07-21-04, 10:22 AM Fritzzs
quote:Originally posted by DorianGreyed: Fritzzs, I think there are times that you have some Old Granddad in you.
I'll have you know that I am a very well respected Rum conorsour - and I would never lower myself to drink that evil Bourbon....
07-21-04, 10:33 AM DorianGreyed Finally we have something to agree on !!1 I cannot stand bourbon.
07-21-04, 12:58 PM Fritzzs
quote:Originally posted by DorianGreyed: Finally we have something to agree on !!1 I cannot stand bourbon.
OMG - did I just feel the earth shake ??
07-21-04, 02:57 PM coldfuse Drink all the white liquor you want, guys, and pass the bourbon this way!
This message has been edited. Last edited by: DorianGreyed,
