Re: a few questions

At 4/21/01 02:32 AM -0400, you wrote:
>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.  :)
One of a half dozen or more theories on the origin of the word. The other
most popular theory is that it comes from "oll korrekt", a intential
mispelling done for humorous effect in New York editorials way back when.

The basic answer to the question: nobody knows, but there are plenty of
stories.



Marcus Smith

"Sit down before fact as a little child,
be prepared to give up every preconceived notion,
follow humbly wherever and to whatsoever abysses Nature leads,
or you shall learn nothing."
                -- Thomas Huxley

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