Every day we use Expressions of which we do not know the origin and in some cases they are loans or transfers of other languages. The word OK is used throughout the world replacing native expressions such as "is ok", "yes" or "ok". If you have ever asked yourself Where does OK come from? , we offer you 5 Hypotheses about origin of this expression that surely you use .
Where does OK come from?
The success of the word OK, according to linguists, lies in its adaptability and flexibility since it can be a noun, a verb or an adverb and even an adjective, an interjection or an acronym. Also its meaning is ductile, since being an affirmative expression, it is not as imposing and categorical as a yes. In addition, if we look at its spelling, it is also very varied since you can find it written as OK, Ok, okay, okey and several other forms.
For all this, it is undoubtedly one of the most international words, understood by everyone and used daily by millions of people.
Hypothesis about where OK is coming from
There are many hypotheses about where comes OK , we have collected the five most important ones and that could have some true basis.
1. From the language of the Choctaw Indians
One of the first hypotheses that was considered, trying to find out Where does OK come from? , cited its origin in a word from one of the tribes of Native American Indians: the Choctaw. In the language of this town there is the term "okeh" which curiously means "it is fine", the same as OK. The defenders of this line believed that from the Choctaw and through the men who explored the American West in the 19th century, it came to English and over the years it spread throughout the country becoming the popular expression it is today.
The detractors of this hypothesis believe that it is very difficult to produce this linguistic transfer of the language of the Choctaw natives to English.
2. From a political background
The second hypothesis is the most popular. The word OK could have been invented by a faction of the Democratic party around the year 1840. Apparently the candidate supported by this group of Democrats, named Martin Van Buren, created a support group with his followers who called the OK Club.
The initials were taken from the name of Van Buren's hometown, Old Kinderhook, in the state of New York and the candidate himself was known as Old Kinderhook. The slogan of the Democratic party for those elections was "Vote for OK" and in this way the expression became known throughout the country. However, in point 5 we will see that there was already a previous written reference, from where it is more likely that the expression OK would appear.
3. Of a railway employee or a telegraph operator
The third hypothesis about where does OK come from? it takes us to the world of the railroad and also to that of the telegraph. For a long time it was said that OK was the initials of a man who worked in the Railroad Service and who was in charge of transporting objects by rail. His name was Obadiah Kelly and he marked all the packages he was given to transport with the initials O.K.
It has also been considered that it was an expression used in the world of the telegraph that meant "Open key", that is, Open Key, "OK", but before that telegraphic terminology existed, it was already said OK.
4. Of the black slaves brought to North America
One of the theories that once had more defenders and that has a certain degree of plausibility does not say that the origin of OK is in the different groups of black slaves that were taken to the United States. from West Africa.
Apparently, it was common to several of the languages spoken in that area of Africa an expression similar to OK that meant something similar to "good", "yes", or "yes, good". However, although it may come from that African word, there is no historical evidence to corroborate that it is from there where does OK come from? .
5. Like an editorial joke that spread
We have reserved for the fifth hypothesis which has seemed more accurate and which is also the one that supports the magazine of the prestigious Smithsonian institution of Washington . For them the answer to Where does OK come from? It is in an editorial joke. This hypothesis was discovered and defended, without being able to refute, by the prestigious linguist and university professor Allen Read .
According to the Smithsonian, the word originated in the year 1839 in the office of the editor of the Boston Morning Post, Charles Gordon Greene. Apparently at that time it was fashionable to use humorous abbreviations. Some failed like OW that had to replace the erroneous and jocular "oll wright" (it's okay), but others, without knowing exactly why, triumphed. Among the latter is the abbreviation OK that appeared as a joke in a satirical article on grammar as the abbreviation of "Oll Korrect". From then on he was especially popularized by the Democratic Party in his campaign for the candidate Martin Van Buren. It is also possible that it was used during the Civil War and even by the railroad employee, but none of them invented it, the answer to Where does OK come from? It seems to be in that humorous article on grammar by Charles Gordon Greene on March 23, 1839 in the Boston Morning Post.
It is necessary to mention that despite the evidence presented by Allen Read and that there is no written evidence prior to that article, there are still scholars who believe that its origin is earlier, although they have not been able to prove it. Did you know where OK is coming from? Do you know any other hypothesis about the origin of that word which is already international? Share it with us! If you want to know the curious origin of some words of the Spanish language, we invite you to read the post: Guiri, gabacho, gringo, do you know the origin of these words?