Thursday, July 17, 2008

O.K., o.k., Okay, OK, or okay?

So I learned something interesting. And by interesting I mean interesting to me because I'm a geeky editor who loves words. I've always wondered why the heck when I've typed "okay" in the past it sometimes pulls up as a misspelling. Turns out "okay" is not Merriam-Webster's, a.k.a THE dictionary to use, preferred spelling. It lists OK as the spelling for the word that means "all right." So I guess a long time ago OK did not used to mean "all right" as it does today. It is an abbreviation derived from oll korrect, a facetious alteration of all correct. It dates back to 1839. So I think, if I remember correctly, it's an abbreviation that was used on printer's proof to state that everything was OK, i.e. "all correct." Overtime the meaning and usage of the word has changed to mean "all right." But I personally prefer "okay" to OK. OK seems weird to me. How are you feeling today? I'm feeling OK. It just looks weird. And since the usage has changed I don't think it's appropriate to use it as an abbreviation anymore. And please don't add periods. That just makes it even more awkward. As much as I love my M-W, I think we're going to have to agree to disagree. I will forever spell it as okay.

6 comments:

Austin said...

I think it's absolutely ok to spell OK the way you think it should be spelled. Okay. ;)

Patti Johansen said...

The Greeks (as in people from Greece who are of the same belief as the father in the movie MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING, which is every Greek person) believe that OK comes for the Greek, "Ola Kala" which means "everthing is good!"
So now you know, o.k.,OK, okay? - I PERSONALLY PREFER "OKEE DOKEE" MYSELF, and it is not because I come from the Okeefenokee Swamp, either! I don't come from any swamp for that matter. I come from wherever the AF Sends Us, and currently that is Greece - Ola Kala?????

Patti Johansen said...

sorry I meant to type "comes FROM the Greek", not "for" - I think I need an editor. Do you know where I could, can, might be able to (choose one) find one?

Patti Johansen said...

AAARGH! I also misspelled "everything"!!! It is becoming an emergency situation! Get me an editor, quick! (Did I misspell "misspelled"? I am so losing confidence! I'm melting..................melting............melt......mel.....glub, glub.

Charlo said...

Well, whether or not MW agrees , "okay" is part of the English language because that is how it is used. Language evolves and that is fact-but then again, I have always been a sloppy descriptivist who can't even spell common words correctly.

I was pretty sure OK (and yes, I learned it came from all correct) came from a campaign slogan... Kentucky I believe. I must admit, however, that I have no recollection of who or what my source was.

Valerie Russell said...

I agree! Okay for me too.

P.S. I'm slightly scared to comment on this blog for fear that I will spell or punctuate incorrectly. I still enjoy reading it though.