and is it spelt 'O.K.' or 'Okay'?
2006-07-07 00:20:42 · 13 answers · asked by stephenpadget 2 in Education & Reference ➔ Teaching
There are lots or surgestions, go here for a few of them.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okay
2006-07-07 00:27:02 · answer #1 · answered by the_falcon_1987 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are several theories about the origins of this word, some of them apocryphal and none of them conclusive, although the suggested origin as an initialism of oll korrect has relatively widespread support. Whatever its origin, the word spread around the world, the "okay" spelling of it first appearing in British writing in the 1860s. Spelled out in full in the 20th century, 'okay' has come to be in everyday use among English speakers, and borrowed by non-English speakers. Occasionally a humorous form okey dokey is used, as well as A-ok.
2006-07-07 07:24:08 · answer #2 · answered by sunshine25 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The origin of OK was established by Prof Allen Walker Read of Columbia University in the journal American Speech in 1963.
Apparently there was a fad in the 1830s and 40s for humerous abbreviations of words and "OK" comes from "Oll Korrect"
2006-07-07 07:28:50 · answer #3 · answered by Ivanhoe Fats 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some people think it is from the term "waw-ka", the emphatic form of "kay" or "yes" in Wolof, one of the main languages spoken by Africans transported to America to work as slaves. Others think it comes from the Greek term "olla kalla" which means "all good." Yet another theory is that it comes from the nick-name of Martin van Buren when he ran for U.S. presidency, "Old Kinderhook." My favourite theory is that it is a contraction of the Scottish "och aye" being a Scot myself!
2006-07-07 07:34:47 · answer #4 · answered by McMick 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My high school teacher told me
he said it was a man who used to check if a railway was good in the eary us history and ppl noticed that every one that he checked and sighned with his initials (O.K.) was very good hence the term its (O.K.) in other words its good.
2006-07-07 07:26:11 · answer #5 · answered by ♥ Raptors Fan 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
originate from America. It is Ok to Okay, and Okay to Ok.
2006-07-07 07:27:39 · answer #6 · answered by PunkGreen1829 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I read once it came from the American Indians and was adopted into language.
2006-07-07 07:27:48 · answer #7 · answered by Tallboy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Itali i think it means ALL CORRECT (O.K)
2006-07-07 07:24:11 · answer #8 · answered by Ozone3 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Must be south africa..
its also like howzit -> which originates from South africa
2006-07-07 07:25:36 · answer #9 · answered by Hector 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
from societies that celebrate mediocricity. therefore i'm guessing the UK.
2006-07-07 07:23:03 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋