h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: The Legends of OK - A699979
Author: Demetrius - U190107

I searched the h2g2 and did not find an entry on the origins of the word OK and decided to make one. It seemed like a important piece of information and it is pretty intersesting too.

Hello Demetrius

This article shows promise .

I'm a bit concerned about the last paragraph. The first sentence might be a little strong (have you typed OK into the h2g2 search box - up there where it says "Search h2g2" on a white button? Other researchers have had a go at this topic although none have made it into the Edited Guide). The rest of the paragraph is somewhat trite in my opinion - but it is just my opinion.



Amy the (Guru) Ant

Thank you very much for you input. I have never been that good with conclusions. Any suggestions as to how I could improve it?

Thanks,
Demetrius

I improved the conclusion. And this will be the final version.

This will remain as one of the greatest secrets in word history. The Duden says succintly: "...despite ubiquitous but unsuccessful approaches to interpret it, it remains without etymology."

I know of at least two other variants. Oscar Kokoschka, a painter, signed his works with a rather large OK; and it was seen as an inversion of KO -- knock out.

Have you looked at A671348 and A230824 ?

And perhaps the title needs a tweak to avoid confusion with OK Soda (A596432) and any bands or games that go by that name.

I suggest 'The Myths and Legends Behind the Word OK'

I took you advice, and although it doesn't show up on this forum, if you go to the entry you will see that I changed the title to "The Legends of the Word OK."

PS I read those articles and they don't seem to go into any real detail abput the origins of the word.

This is what the American Heritage Dictionary says:

'OK is a quintessentially American term that has spread from English to many other languages. Its origin was the subject of scholarly debate for many years until Allen Walker Read showed that OK is based on a joke of sorts. OK is first recorded in 1839 but was probably in circulation before that date. During the 1830s there was a humoristic fashion in Boston newspapers to reduce a phrase to initials and supply an explanation in parentheses. Sometimes the abbreviations were misspelled to add to the humor. OK was used in March 1839 as an abbreviation for all correct, the joke being that neither the O nor the K was correct. Originally spelled with periods, this term outlived most similar abbreviations owing to its use in President Martin Van Buren's 1840 campaign for re-election. Because he was born in Kinderhook, New York, Van Buren was nicknamed Old Kinderhook, and the abbreviation proved eminently suitable for political slogans.'

Under OK, the OED says also that the Choctaw 'oke' = 'it is' and that it may have come from the French 'au quai', or from the West African language Wolof via slaves from the southern states, but that all origins lack verifiable documentation.

Interesting entry. It will be almost oll korrect if the word "supposably" in the fourth paragraph is changed to "supposedly."

There's another legend around which goes like this:

Oscar (Oswald?) Kolle was a foreman in the Ford car factory, and his job was what nowadays would be called 'quality assurence'. If a component passed his (very stringent) checks, he would mark his initials (O.K.) in chalk on them - hence the word.

dunno if there's any truth behind that

Thanks Subcom for pointing that out. I fixed it as soon as I read your message. At least I'll never maake the mistake of using "supposably" instead of "supposedly," again.

Ford was founded quite a while after the first few appearances of OK. So I don't think is true. But thanks for contributing your thoughts.

What I was told is that OK was used in the american civil war, or in some other american war as a short way to state that no one in the communicating post was killed (OK = zero kills).


Dancer

What I was told is that OK was used in the american civil war, or in some other american war as a short way to state that no one in the communicating post was killed (OK = zero kills).


Dancer

That's very interesting.

I also heard of the legend of Oscar Kelle or Otto Kolping, the names vary, but the story about the Ford company is the same. I also heard about the story of an officer with german roots who during the civil war spelled 'Oll Korrekt' and then abbreviated it to 'OK'.

Etymologists seem to accept the 'Newspaper inventing slang' model. The first recorded use of the word OK in this context was in March 23, 1839 by the Boston Morning Post, from there it spreaded to NY and was then used by the NY democrats.

Another legand states that OK is the abbreviation for 'Open Key' used in telegraphic communication back in 18-something.

Some people like to cite a record dated 1790's which apparently reads:

"proved a bill of sale from Hugh McGary to Gasper Mansker, for a Negro man, which was O.K."

But the K was eventually proven to be mistaken for a badly-written 'R'. 'OR' was an abbreviation for 'order recorded'

Bye.

Great entry.

HELL

Thank you, HELL, for your compliments on my entry. I am glad you liked it.

This text is blue.

Demetrius,

I know it would make your entry grow longer and longer, but it would be interesting if you include all of these apocryphal stories too, even the ones that you suspect are false. Just the fact that people have promoted so many different explanations is worth noting.

OK, I have completely updated my entry with all the suggestions made by other people and made some other minor revisions, too. I'm sorry it took me so long to do it.