The Most Universally Understood Word Began as a Prank

About this episode

In 1839, a newspaper editor made a joke almost nobody found funny, and it accidentally became the single most understood word on Earth, more universal than "hello." This week: the failed president, the telegraph, and the joke that never should have survived. One story. A few minutes. No homework required. Sources: • History.com – "How 'OK' Became America's Favorite Word" • Smithsonian Magazine – "How One Man Discovered the Obscure Origins of the Word 'OK'" • Boston Magazine – "TBT: When the Word 'OK' Was Invented in Boston" • Merriam-Webster – "The Hilarious History of 'OK'" • NPR – "Origin of OK: From Martin Van Buren to Most Recognized Word" • HowStuffWorks – "Made in America: The Ridiculous History of 'OK'" As always – this is what the internet told me. The internet has been wrong before. So have I. Fact-check away.