OK: From a Boston Joke to the Moon

On 23 March 1839, the Boston Morning Post printed a joke abbreviation, o.k., for “oll korrect”. Comic misspelt initials were a fad in Boston papers at the time, and almost all of them died within a year or two. This one ended up in languages all over the world.

The episode follows a century of invented origin stories, the linguist Allen Walker Read who finally traced the word in old newspapers, the 1840 presidential campaign that made it famous, and the telegraph operators and railwaymen who made it part of everyday work.

About 10 minutes, two hosts, for curious listeners. Made with Podcastery.