Getting to the root of 'OK'. I was also aware of the connection with Martin Van Buren, 'Old Kinderhook', and the article dovetails this with OK's probable origin in Boston. In written form I've definitely developed a strong preference for the elegant "okay" as opposed to the awkward-looking "OK", which in comparison just looks clumsy in the middle of a sentence.
The wonderful false etymology mis-remembered in the first comment there ("Aux quais!" is TO the harbour) reminds me of the wonderful double-take I got from a French lass at a beer festival when I said that the phrase I had on this piece of paper "To the water! It is time!" was the motto of the French Navy, and could she please read it out in French:
"A l'eau! C'est l'heure!"
ETA: Bah! When did changing the text colour and background to hide a punchline stop working?
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peteryoung
no subject
Date: 2011-02-18 02:08 pm (UTC)"A l'eau! C'est l'heure!"
ETA: Bah! When did changing the text colour and background to hide a punchline stop working?