Weird Words: The Bizarre Origin of "OK"

You've probably said this word today already, and you have no idea where it came from. Neither did anyone else, for over a hundred years. Biscuit brands, a forgotten Native American chief, a Haitian rum port — people threw out increasingly wild theories, and every single one was wrong.The real story is dumber, and somehow better: two feuding newspaper editors, a deliberate misspelling, and a presidential campaign that accidentally rescued a dying joke. I get into how "OK" clawed its way from a throwaway 19th-century punchline to the most recognized word on Earth, plus what it can teach you about how one tiny word does five different jobs in English without you ever noticing.Grab the companion lesson at englishontopic.com if you want to work through it on the page too. Press play — this one's a fun ride.Feedback can be sent to [email protected] bonus content, take a look at our Patreon Page, which is filled with extra goodies to make your English pop.