Monday, April 18, 2005
wOrD of ThE dAY: "OK"
OK1 or o·kay Informal n. pl. OK's or o·kaysWord History: 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 reelection. Because he was born in Kinderhook, New York, Van Buren was nicknamed Old Kinderhook, and the abbreviation proved eminently suitable for political slogans. That same year, an editorial referring to the receipt of a pin with the slogan O.K. had this comment: “frightful letters... significant of the birth-place of Martin Van Buren, old Kinderhook, as also the rallying word of the Democracy of the late election, ‘all correct’.... Those who wear them should bear in mind that it will require their most strenuous exertions... to make all things O.K.”
Sylvia's Examples of what's OK: giving sylvia money, giving sylvia presents, RED BULL! and coffee, going to M'sia, eating Nestle crunch, Ghim Moh breakfasts, Desperate Housewives at night, American Idol, Tim Tams, student's lounge, Seth Cohen (Very OK), Keanu Reeves, Jude Law, criminal law, tort law, non-liberal feminism, downloading 9GB worth of music
What's not OK: taking money from sylvia, calling sylvia fat, calling sylvia a bitch (sylvia is the only one allowed to acknowledge tt), liberalism, Colin Firth's hairy shapeless chest, bouncing boobies on guys, contract law, McKendrick, Phang and Trietel, crashing Toshibas (poor BoonLerk), losing 9GB worth of music
Vic's THEORY OF OK
Isn't it amazing how we sometimes overlook the simplest things in life? The word OK for example entails such a rich history behind it, as you have seen SUPRA. So i say, the next time you say OK, think of what the poor American folks had to go through to bring that word into existence.
There are many ways to say OK:
1) Out of concern: Are you OK?
2) Out of contempt: Are you OK?????? (in responding to someone's crazy antics)
3) Out of respect: Is it OK if i.....
4) Out of fear: Is IT ok? (i.e. is it safe to copulate at this time?)
5) Out of consolation: It'll be OK i promise
6) Out of frustration & envy: OK la! You good la! Your neh damn tua la!
7) Out of words: OK.....
As you can see, the word OK is very very versatile. It is not only the english language which uses such a term, and other languages or dilects also have their version:
Hokkien: Ho Seh Boh!
French: D'accord
Malay: Oh Ke
Indian: Or Khey
MGS speak: Okiez!
This has been brought to you by the combined genius of Sylvia Tee and Victor Xia
sylvia at 4:06 PM
