Where the OK comes from

For a while now, Spanish speakers have witnessed the arrival of a good number of anglicisms, that is, words from the English language that we have adopted as our own. How? Making use of them, integrating them into our daily conversations, often without knowing what their origin is. It is likely that this happens with the OK, an expression taken from English that is brief, concise and serves us to express agreement, pleasure or compliance. In this article we are going to tell you where the OK comes from so that you understand the origin of this expression so widespread in our society.

What is the origin of the expression OK?

As with many other terms or words, the origin of OK or okey is uncertain . And like any word whose origin is unknown, much is speculated about its provenance. We know that OK is an English expression, very probably American and that it is linked to war.

To know where the OK comes from, you must know that one of the explanations that has circulated the most about the origin of the OK is the one that installs the expression on the battlefield and gives an account of the number of soldiers killed. It is said that after an armed conflict, one of the ways to indicate the absence of casualties, that is, of dead soldiers, was OK.

Look: the expression contains the letter O, which could well be indicating ZERO (pronounced ou in English) and the K of killed (dead, in English). Result: OK, zero casualties, no dead in our ranks.

In what situations do we use OK?

We agree that the "okey" is equivalent to the "vale" Castilian, but perhaps its use is not so widespread. It is true that American culture, especially that which comes to us through cinema and music, has made us more and more familiar with its use.

In any case, it is a word that we use in informal contexts: between friends, relatives or with our partner. And in formal environments? There are no rules for this. Surely, if you have a very close relationship with your boss or boss, the OK will be very practical, especially if it is a written dialogue. Few expressions are as concise and clear as an OK!

When is it not advisable to use OK?

It is also true that there are situations or dialogues in which we would never use OK. They are those cases in which the norm or rules of the purest Spanish rule. For example, with a college or university teacher. Can you imagine responding with an okey ? Maybe it is, but it is also likely that the teacher does not feel good about Anglicism and prefers, even if it is informal, a "value" of our whole life.

So, how can I know when to use OK and when not?

It will depend on each case, no one better than you to evaluate if the use of this expression will not leave you badly stopped. It will have a lot to do with the situation you are in, formal or informal. If you are combining a dinner with friends, the use of OK will be more than frequent and very practical. But, if you find yourself in a job interview, you probably control a little more the use of this kind of informal expressions.