“OK”可不是“Okay”的縮寫！

OK這個詞，你每天用幾次？

很多人以為“okay”才是完整、正規的寫法，但其實恰恰相反——“okay”是由“OK”演化而成的。而最早誕生的“OK”，是一個別有用意的“錯別字”！

A deliberate misspelling that began as a joke has evolved into "OK", one of the world's most widely recognized words.

圖源：bostonmagazine.com

OK的誕生

關于“OK”的來歷，眾說紛紜。被多數詞典蓋章的開端，其實有點無厘頭。

時間倒回1839年3月23日，《波士頓晨報》 首次刊登了“OK”這個縮寫。

該報編輯在一篇諷刺文章中，故意將“all correct”（一切都好）拼成“oll korrect”，并將其縮寫為“ok”。

The term first appeared in print on March 23, 1839, in the Boston Morning Post, where an editor intentionally misspelt "all correct" as "oll korrect" and shortened it to "ok".

圖源：CBS The Morning

當時，受過教育的年輕人中流行一種做法：故意拼錯單詞，然后縮寫，并在彼此交談時用作俚語。比如“oll wright”縮成“OW”，“no go”縮成“NG”。

于是在種種因素的推動下，"OK"作為玩笑的一部分，開始逐步融入人們的生活中。

OK的走紅

19世紀的俚語眾多，而"OK"并未湮沒于時代浪潮；而真正讓它走紅的，是1840年的總統大選。

圖源：pixel.com

當時謀求連任的馬丁·范布倫有個昵稱“Old Kinderhook”。

支持者成立“OK俱樂部”，既喊競選口號，又蹭了“一切都好”的好彩頭。

對手輝格黨本想用“oll korrect”這個錯別字梗來嘲諷，結果反而幫了倒忙——OK從此徹底出圈，成為美國乃至全世界最通用的詞匯之一。

The expression gained widespread popularity during the US presidential election in 1840.

Supporters of incumbent President Martin Van Buren, nicknamed "Old Kinderhook", adopted "OK" as a campaign slogan. Attempts by political rivals to mock the phrase only helped spread it further, turning a playful typo into one of the world's most enduring expressions.

據在線詞源詞典Etymonline介紹，1919年，美國總統伍德羅·威爾遜曾將“OK”拼寫為“okeh”。1929年，“okay”這一拼寫出現后，很快取代了“okeh”，逐漸成為沿用至今的完整拼寫形式。

Spelt out as okeh, in 1919, by Woodrow Wilson, on assumption that it represented Choctaw okeh "it is so" (a theory which lacks historical documentation); this spelling was ousted quickly by okay after the appearance of that form in 1929.

常用縮寫

聊完了OK的傳奇身世，我們順著“縮寫”這條藤，再摸幾個瓜。一起來看看下面這些縮略語吧！

▌BTW: by the way 順便說一下

used to introduce a new subject to be considered or to give further information

I think we've discussed everything we need to — by the way, what time is it?

我想需要討論的問題我們都討論了——順便問一下，幾點了？

▌ASAP: as soon as possible 盡快

If you do something as soon as possible, you do it as quickly as you can

We need the repairs done ASAP.

我們需要盡快修好。

▌R.I.P.: rest in peace 愿安息

said to express the hope that someone's spirit has found peace after death

原為天主教葬禮使用的拉丁語禱詞縮寫，后成為碑銘中表達對逝者安寧祈愿的常見短語

▌GOAT: greatest of all time 史上最佳

Greatest of All Time (GOAT) is a term used to describe the best person, team, or entity in a particular field throughout history

My friend said that Ed Sheeran is the GOAT, but I'm not sure I agree.

我朋友認為Ed Sheeran是有史以來最棒的歌手，但我并不認同。

來源：外研社

跟著China Daily

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