What is the origin pf this word?
2007-08-19 00:02:51 · 6 answers · asked by Tony 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
O.K. means "0 killed", as it was the report of the night's death toll during the First World War. If no soldier had been killed during the night, it was positive, so this abbreviation means that things are going well.
2007-08-19 03:37:41 · answer #1 · answered by ?????????d 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it stands for Oll Korrect and originated in America. The phrase comes from a curious fad for "comical abbreviations" that swept the country in the 1830s and 1840s.
2007-08-19 07:11:43 · answer #2 · answered by ?????????????????????? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It originally came from Orl Korrect in Boston in 1839. However, there are other origins... see the link...
2007-08-19 07:17:04 · answer #3 · answered by Saudi Geoff 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I read somewhere that it is used as during one of the wars - and stands for 0 (nil) killed.
2007-08-19 07:44:23 · answer #4 · answered by Smiler 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Looks like the second and third answerers both looked it up in Wikipedia, which, let's face it, you could have done yourself.
2007-08-19 08:15:21 · answer #5 · answered by john g 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
here's a good link:
http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexperts/faq/aboutwordorigins/ok?view=uk
2007-08-19 07:11:00 · answer #6 · answered by oldguy 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋