Re: a few questions

David Peterson scripsit:

> In a message dated 4/20/01 10:34:25 PM, zsau@YAHOO.COM.AU writes:
>
> << 2. Does anyone know (or know where I can find) the origins of the word
> 'okay'? >>
>
>     "Okay" was originally "O.K.", of course, and it stood for "Old
> Kinderhook", which, I believe, was the nickname of Martin Van Buren (if it
> wasn't, it was another president; I know it was a Gilded Age U.S. president).
>  They called him "O.K."  Somehow from there, it turned it to meaning "good",
> or signifying approval.  This was in my history book back in high school.  :)
The use of the slogan "The People Is O.K." was important in spreading "O.K.",
but we find it in print before the Van Buren campaign, as part of a fad for
false initials, in this case for "Oll Korrect" = "all correct".  "K.G."
was also used for "Know Good" = "no good", but did not catch on.

--
John Cowan                                   cowan@ccil.org
One art/there is/no less/no more/All things/to do/with sparks/galore
        --Douglas Hofstadter