2007-01-15 10:07:43 · 17 answers · asked by Paradise 1 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
Here's a buncha theories on the subject of okay's origin.
The one I've heard is:
< Martin van Buren was standing as the Democratic presidential candidate in 1840. He had acquired the nickname of Old Kinderhook (he was born in Kinderhook, New York). On March 24, 1840 the Democrats opened the OK Club in Grand Street, New York City, based on the initials of van Buren's nickname. The expression OK soon became the watchword of this club, and in that same year, a Democratic newspaper equated the initials with the strivings of the party to "make all things OK". >
2007-01-15 10:12:43 · answer #1 · answered by Sweetchild Danielle 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
OK 1 or o·kay Pronunciation (-k) Informal
n. pl. OK's or o·kays
Approval; agreement: Get your supervisor's OK before taking a day off.
adj.
1. Agreeable; acceptable: Was everything OK with your stay?
2. Satisfactory; good: an OK fellow.
3. Not excellent and not poor; mediocre: made an OK presentation.
4. In proper or satisfactory operational or working order: Is the battery OK?
5. Correct: That answer is OK.
6. Uninjured; safe: The skier fell but was OK.
7. Fairly healthy; well: Thanks to the medicine, the patient was OK.
adv.
1. Used to express approval or agreement.
2. Fine; well enough; adequately: a television that works OK despite its age.
tr.v. OK'ed or OK'd or o·kayed, OK'·ing or o·kay·ing, OK's or o·kays
To approve of or agree to; authorize.
2007-01-15 10:21:28 · answer #2 · answered by genkilady 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
According to Bill Bryson's 'Mother Tongue', the two main answers given so far are both correct: "Oll korrect" was a 'comical' spelling of all correct, and abbreviated to OK, by people in Boston and New York in 1838, and this was taken up by Martin van Buren, known as "Old Kinderhook" , who was running for re-election in 1840, and became established.
2007-01-15 10:21:49 · answer #3 · answered by andy m 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Oll Korrect
2007-01-15 10:19:51 · answer #4 · answered by footynutguy 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
One theory is that they stand for Oll Korrekt a misspelling of All Correct that was used in USA in 1830s
2007-01-15 10:13:55 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Its actually short for Old Kinderhook, which was Martin Van Buren's nickname (8th US President). So people would refer to Van Buren as O.K. and later the word "okay" was derived.
2007-01-15 10:14:14 · answer #6 · answered by Boomer 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
well i have heard this from my english teacher and she is a perfectionist and has to have everything right so i bet that this it right or she would not have told everybody this. well back in the 'olden days' teachers instead of putting all corect on graded papers they put ok and that stood for oll korect. well that is as good as i can put it but that is what i have heard it stood for.
2007-01-15 10:21:05 · answer #7 · answered by Ashley 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It's a guy's name. But I don't remember who. Saw it on Public Telivision.
2007-01-15 10:12:19 · answer #8 · answered by GoodGuy53 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Originally it stood for 'orl korrect' (strange but true). Used in the military.
2007-01-15 10:12:56 · answer #9 · answered by SteveNaive 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Old Kinderhook.
It's a place some American politician lived in.
2007-01-15 10:13:48 · answer #10 · answered by monkeymanelvis 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋