The History of OK – The Two-Letter Word Spoken All Over The World
stand the test of time: to stay popular for a long time
Did you know that the word OK is the most frequently spoken word around the world. OK was even the first word spoken on the moon. The word ‘OK’ has stood the test of time. It started as a joke in 1830s Boston, where young people liked to play with words. They used ‘OK’ as an abbreviation for ‘oll korrect’ (all correct). So why didn’t they say AC? The intentional misspelling was a fad used for many abbreviations. OW for ‘owl write’ (all right) is another example that unlike OK did not stand the test of time.
OK became famous in 1839 when a newspaper in Boston used it. It became even more famous in the 1840s when a U.S. President used it for his campaign. ‘OK’ also became useful in the 1840s because of a new machine called the telegraph. The machine sent messages using short codes, and the two letter ‘OK’ was a simple and clear code to use. Today, ‘OK’ means ‘yes’, but it doesn’t show any emotion. It’s a simple word, but it has a rich history.
Sample sentences
1. Even with new fashion trends, jeans always stand the test of time.
2. Some old songs stand the test of time and are loved by every generation.
3. Despite new technology, books have managed to stand the test of time.