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From: psfales@ihuxq.UUCP (Peter Fales)
Newsgroups: net.jokes.d,net.nlang
Subject: Re: Origins of Words
Message-ID: <1228@ihuxq.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 24-Sep-84 09:47:10 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihuxq.1228
Posted: Mon Sep 24 09:47:10 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 26-Sep-84 08:17:30 EDT
References: <1137@eosp1.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
Lines: 28

> The New York Times, about 10 years ago, had a "reasonable meaning"
> contest for the meaning of "Okay".  Writers came up with about 10
> origins, all based on "commonsense".  Not one quoted any
> historical data to suggest that their use of the word was the
> oldest.  Parodying this style of logic, my wife Elaine suggested the
> following derivation of "Okay":
> 
> 	In medieval Normandy, Monks concerned with loading boats
> 	at the docks would reassure their superiors when all of the
> 	materials were on the dock and ready to load, that is:
> 	"Au Quais".  This expression (which sounds about the same as
> 	"okay") entered English via french-Creole speakers in
> 	New Orleans.

According to my high school German teacher, the word OK comes from
the name of an inspector in a VW plant, Otto K???, who wrote his
initials on each car that passed inspection.  Of course, I don't have
any definitive references either.
-- 
Peter Fales

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