5/17/2023 0 Comments Origin meaning![]() The quote above is part of a humorous reply to an item reprinted from the Providence paper.ĭespite plenty of space, there was an abbreviation fad in newspapers of the time that might remind one of our own time. ![]() The papers weren't cramped for space, and they'd also print humor, poetry, fiction, and jabs at other newspapers. Newspapers in the 19th century existed before the advent of wire services, and American newspapers got most of their out-of-town news from other newspapers they exchanged copies with. he of the Journal, and his train-band, would have the 'contributions box,' et ceteras, o.k.-all correct-and cause the corks to fly…"īut let's back up for a minute and establish our setting. Metcalf traces the word's birth to a bit of jocular text in an 1839 article in the Boston Morning Post-a little jab from one newspaper editor to another, suggesting that his cohort in Providence, Rhode Island, should sponsor a party for some boisterous Boston lads who might be stopping by his town: The definitive text on the subject is by professor Allan Metcalf, whose OK: The Improbable Story of America's Greatest Word, based on the research of historian Allen Walker Read, was published in 2010. And its origin story is literally a joke. ![]() ![]() It's very probably the most widely recognized word in the world. ![]()
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