OK celebrates 175 years

OK is 175 years this Sunday. It first appeared in print, on page 2 of the Boston Morning Post, which was then one of the most popular newspapers in the US.

Mr Allan Metcalf, who is an English professor in Illinois, wrote in his 2010 book, “OK. The Improbable Story of America’s Greatest Word”, that the word “OK” is the most frequently spoken (or typed) word on the planet.

OK, or some prefer to spell it as Okay, Ok, O.K., is a word denoting approval, acceptance, agreement, assent, or acknowledgment. Being very concise,  utilitarian and quintessentially American in its simplicity, it has frequently turned up as a loanword in many other languages.

When it comes to Chinese translation, “OK” is commonly translated as “OK了” in Chinese or retained as “OK”.

In China Simplified Chinese, “I am OK” can be translated as “我还好”. On computer, software and games applications, “OK” is usually translated as “确定,” which means “confirm” or “confirmed.”

In Hong Kong Traditional Chinese or Cantonese,  the word “OK” is used as part of the sprinkling of English included in otherwise Cantonese dialog in modern movies or dramas set.

In Taiwanese Chinese or Traditional Chinese for Taiwan, “OK” is frequently used in various sentences, which is more popular among younger generations, such as  “你O不OK?” , “Are you OK or not?”

In Singapore Simplified Chinese, Singlish and “Singaporeanized” English, we often like to say “OK lah” to indicate “It’s OK”, “OK lor” to express “Well, it’s OK” and “OK meh” to express “Is it really OK?” . In text messaging, we even use the letter “k” only to mean OK.

Shouldn’t “OK” be celebrated with parades and speeches? I think it should. But for now, whatever way you intend to commemorate this special day, it’s really OK.