Expressions like LOL, ROFL, IMHO and OMG are used every day like they are the most natural thing. Born from the use of social media, these expressions are relatively new, compared to one that we have been using for the longest time: “OK”.

So, have you ever wondered how OK, the most useful expression ever came about?

Apparently, we have been using OK to express our agreement for only about 177 years. According to the Economist, the late language researcher Allen Read traced OK’s origins to a satirical article on bad spelling in Boston's Morning Post in 1839. The article had stated that OK stood for “Oll Korrect”.

OK went viral

OK’s popularity grew and was adopted in 1840 by the supporters of Martin Van Buren, who was seeking a second term as U.S. president. Van Buren had come to be known as “Old Kinderhook”, which was a nickname derived from his home town. The shortened nickname, “OK”, was incorporated into Van Buren’s re-election campaign and the call to “Vote for OK” was much catchier than “Vote for Van Buren”.

Van Buren did not get re-elected, but OK continued to gain further traction and became used by everyone to express their agreement and acceptance.

Other origins

There are also other theories on the origins of OK. For example, there are some who think that the term might have come from the native American word “okeh”, which is also used as a response of affirmation to questions.

With an expression like OK, we can't be absolutely sure who came up with it first, but that's OK.

If you like what you read, follow us on Facebook and Twitter to get the latest updates.