OK

Object Lessons

by Michelle McSweeney, Ian Bogost (Series Editor), Christopher Schaberg (Series Editor)

Object Lessons is a series of short, beautifully designed books about the hidden lives of ordinary things.

"OK" as a word accepts proposals, describes the world as satisfactory (but not good), provides conversational momentum, or even agrees (or disagrees). OK as an object, however, tells a story of how technology writes itself into language, permanently altering communication.

OK is a young word, less than 200 years old. It began as an acronym for “all correct” when the steam-powered printing press pushed newspapers into the mainstream. Today it is spoken and written by nearly everyone in the world. Drawing on linguistics, history, and new media studies, Michelle McSweeney traces OK from its birth in the Penny Presses through telephone lines, grammar books, and television signals into the digital age.

Nearly ubiquitous and often overlooked, OK illustrates the never-ending dance between language, technology, and culture, and offers lessons for our own techno-historical moment.

Object Lessons is published in partnership with an essay series in The Atlantic.

Genres: Nonfiction, Linguistics, Language, History

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 12, 2023

Reviews

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read c/ NetGalley.

Another roaring success from the Object Lessons series. I had NO idea that OK had such a history. I DID know that you could use a tiny little object to illuminate significant moments in history, which is exactly what McSweeney does here: the connection between communication and technology, and the fate of OK in that - from the Penny Press in the 1830s in the US, to the telegraph and telephone and US cultural imperialism via TV and finally BBSs and social media... it's all here.

I was also introduced to the term 'phatic language' and I love it. Phatic language is "language that is socially rich, but informationally empty". All those markers that signal we're listening and we care (in theory), including OK. I love that there's a term for it, and I love that it has a real and important place in communication. I also love that the DARPA dudes thought email would be more like telegrams (terse, all info and no pleasantries) rather than a conversation, and HAHA sorry guys. Also apparently answering the telephone with "Hello?" was initially considered incredibly bad manners? This is a magnificent example of changing language and social expectations.

Meanwhile there's also the fact that all those email suggestions that gmail throws at you were learned from "the Enron Corpus" - tens of thousands of emails from 2001 - is creepy and makes me even more determined not to use them.

For lovers of language and communication technology and micro history.

[Siobhan · Rating 4 out of 5]

OK is a book in the Object Lessons series that explores the history of OK, from newspapers to telephone calls to the internet. Focusing on the historical journey, the different forms of OK, and the important role that emerging technologies had on solidifying OK as part of not only English, but a global way of communicating, the book argues that OK represents the impact of technology upon language.

This is a brief journey through the history of a familiar word, looking at how it was used in speech and the written word (especially the latter, given there is a record of it). The origins of OK are explored in the first few chapters, though I did find them a bit tricky as a non-American reader as the book doesn't explain the nineteenth century US political parties but assumes you already know about them, and then the other chapters focus on technological change and how OK was part of that. I appreciated that the book includes the OK hand gesture and discusses its use by the alt-right in recent years, though in general I wish the book had delved a little more into the political and social implications of OK, like what it means that the word has become global beyond making it a commonly understood word.

The Object Lessons series is varied, with some more a potted history or explanation (like this one) and others more of a personal essay. OK looks at the interplay between language and technology and makes an interesting little read if you like those topics, though the earlier historical parts with a particular focus on the American historical context that created OK were less interesting for me.

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun and quick read. I learned a lot in an entertaining way, which is all I ask for from all the nonfiction I read. The author gives us quick facts both about OK and other things surrounding its birth and development such as the internet and how it worked in its initial stages, how the telegraph and telephone came to be and became popular, the role of OK in literature, where it was suitable to use it and where it wasn't, why, where it appeared and also makes the distinction between commercial 'low-brow' fiction and 'high-brow' novels and the type of language used in both. You are taken on a journey through the past and for those, like me, who were not alive to see the development of major technologies, this was very educational.
I knocked down a star because I felt like this book was a bit biased at some points and VERY USA-centric. I would've liked to read more about the reception of the word worldwide, and less on American politics.
Highly recommend this nonetheless, especially if you like your nonfiction to have an informal and friendly tone with anecdotes spread throughout.

*Thank you NetGalley for the ARC*

[Alex Sarll]

I'm normally sceptical of Object Lessons where the subject isn't, you know, an *object*. But I made an exception here for a word so multivalent, one which has managed to generate more conflicted origin stories than a long-running superhero despite being born well within recorded history, one which acts as a sort of prototype and overture for all the strange things technology and mass culture would do to language over the next two centuries. McSweeney, building on a perhaps surprising corpus of pre-existing scholarship, convincingly dates the genesis (at least in writing) to March 23, 1839, and points out the issues with the alternate theories – but also, what we can learn from people's belief in them, even if, unlike that first OK, they are all incorrect. The word's own variants are also here, each of them pointing up something more general, such as the way slang becomes accepted into the formal language over time – followed by the way that the formerly slang word can then begin generating its own slang variants, taking over their now-respectable forebear's role as a form of play and/or a mark of in-group belonging. It's an excellent choice of word to serve as exemplar for the "the ways that language is shaped by technology, and vice versa" – and McSweeney advances compelling reasons beyond luck, from the historical to the sonic, why OK should have survived while the rest of the initial language of the same era has faded away. Along the way, despite the book's brevity, there's space for all sorts of other nuggets about the history of modern communication, not strictly relevant but very much interesting, from AT&T's doomed attempt to make 'phone calls more formal, to why suggested automatic email replies tend to sound quite so much like the email is being written by a tosser.

(Netgalley ARC)

[Bleu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did I ever think I needed to know the comprehensive history of the word ok/okay/O.K., with in-depth explorations of American politics, train communication, Coca-Cola's marketing plan, developments in the printing press and manga translation?
No.
But I'm so happy I now do.

This is one of those books where the reader becomes irritating to anyone around them because it's impossible not to read every third paragraph aloud. It explores a wealth of topics to connect the varied history of such a little word in a manner that is so well-written it flows naturally and compellingly. It packs a lot into so little.

It truly is difficult to explain a good book beyond stating a list of adjectives. The vast range of sources it pulls from makes it fascinating, the chapter structure is clear, and the writing is upbeat but nuanced. This is a gorgeous book- why are more words needed?

To nitpick a fault, this book is written so that the reader could (why would you?) skip a chapter if so wished. To ensure the content always makes sense, the ideas, facts and notable figures are repeated in some chapters. Mostly this works well; it offers a reminder and helps one to connect the dots. Other times, it feels a touch condescending. For example, in Chapter Three, a source that has been discussed in depth in Chapter Two is referenced again, this time introducing him as if this is new information. It's bothersome as a reader who has been paying full attention, however, it is understandable why this is done (as an English reader, I welcome the repetition of the finer details of historic American politics).

It is now impossible not to look at every commonplace object within one's home (and wider life) and not wonder about the story behind its creation. Also, it's paramount to get copies of other works in this vast series.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Michelle McSweeney, OK, Bloomsbury Academic, January 2023.

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review.

Object Lessons is a fun series – and more. Items, and in this case a word, gain a different dimension under the writers who lead us into the history, the political ramifications, and social dimensions of seemingly simple topics. In this case, Michelle McSweeney delves into the history of a word that most of us uses everyday – OK. The linguist will really enjoy this book, but so too, will the person who knows what to say, but has gone no further into why or how language has evolved, and from where.

Beginning with March, 1839 when McSweeney proposes that the English language changed forever because of the introduction of o.k. in the Boston Morning Post, through presidential influences, and suggestions that the word came from Choctaw tribe in Mississippi the reader is led through an engrossing history. While writing about OK McSweeney raises some astute political points as well as demonstrating very clearly why a proposed background (such as the Choctaw reference) to the word cannot be historically correct. The introduction of okay in Little Women (and its eradication from the next edition) is a story of its own. What was Louise May Alcott thinking when she put the word into, not rebellious Jo’s mouth, but that of prim Amy?

From the wider use of OK through the Penny Press, to its use in the railway system, and the burgeoning of its use with the introduction of the internet and email, the story of OK is fascinating.

OK is written in an accessible style, has a useful bibliography, and footnotes. I enjoyed the story and shall also enjoy reading more widely with the bibliography as a start.

[J Earl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok by Michelle McSweeney is another excellent addition to the Object Lessons series. This is a less personal look at the word OK and more of simply a history and contextualization, yet is still very interesting.

One of the strengths of this series is that each writer is given freedom to examine their subject as they choose, which of course irritates those readers who seem threatened by things they call woke (which simply means it goes beyond their limited intellectual and emotional range, just ignore theeimbecile). This slender volume covers how it (likely) came to be as well as how it has been used over the years, and more recently the hand signal has been abused by those concerned with wokeness.

It really is amazing just how commonly the word is used across demographics, as McSweeney points out. Even something as short as OK has been shortened to k in many situations. Then there are those who almost always use okay (I fall into this group). Apparently most of the people I know use the hand sign differently than whatever source McSweeney has. She said it is given with the palm facing away, yet in my limited survey of friends, neighbors, and a few strangers, not one of them did it that way. All of them, and myself, have the palm facing across the body so that someone standing in front would see the circle. The only time I use it with the palm facing out is signaling a three-point shot in basketball, since what I want the scorer to see are the three fingers rather than the 'O' shape. But We are a minority I guess.

Readers of the series will enjoy this addition and those with an interest in language and communication will find a lot of fun facts here.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.

[Tony · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘OK’, by Michelle McSweeney is part of the Object Lessons series. These books take a single item and focus on telling its story. In this case McSweeney has a single word: ‘OK’. The book lays out the origins of ‘OK’, some of the myths that have arisen around it, its development and how it has adapted to technological change. Incidentally it also delivers insights into language, communication technology and history. It manages to do so in only 144 pages.

McSweeney makes the case that OK is, “…central to how we communicate”. She also notes: “But you and I are not the first to notice that OK is special, and this isn’t even the first book about OK. There are three research papers and one book (at least) that focus solely on OK.” And indeed the early part of the book draws heavily on these works, especially Allen Walker Reid’s. The good thing is McSweeney doesn’t try to hide this and – miracle of miracles – this book comes with notes and an actual bibliography so you can check references.

There is a lot of information packed into this book. Each section has contextualises the history, the culture and then how OK was slotted into each changing communication type. So, we travel from the Penny Press, to the Telegram, to the Telephone, to Television, to Email, to Social Media into the present. Each time McSweeney talks about how OK slotted in and morphed with each step. There are a lot of reasons why OK becomes so entrenched in the language. Each change in technology seems to help hammer it deeper and deeper into the culture so that what started off as a bit of linguistic play in the Boston Morning Post, was swept into American politics - and Andrew Jackson crops up a lot in the early part of the book, and then go swallowed into the American lexicon in time for the telegram and telephone to cement it into place.

The next stage of its journey was global. Like a verbal virus. Spreading alongside American TV and film to the rest of the world on the back of the Cold War and then with the arrival of the internet and the dominance of American English in the online world. McSweeney explains the origins of that dominance, and why it has continued.

McSweeney does an excellent job of conveying a lot of facts in a way that doesn’t sound like an info dump even as she is dumping information. So, in a single paragraph she can summarise a whole era in clear and concise way, like this: “Meanwhile, the United States and Russia were deeply engaged in the Cold War, and were battling for cultural, social, and political power in countries around the world. The primary export of this period was political ideology, culture, and language. Consuming media was one way to align with American culture and values.”

I found the whole book a quick and fascinating read. ‘OK’ is not a word you think a lot about until you read this and realise how ubiquitous it is and how well suited it is for the modern world. It has multiple uses, is easy to hear and easy to understand.

It’s one of those books that you think you don’t need to read but then serves up so many good stories or so much interesting information that you finish it happy to have read it. Short, but mentally nutritious.

[Theediscerning · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must be due a stinker from this none-more-varied series of books. But this sure isn't it. There is no sense of autobiography as padding, and none of the egregious ultra-woke the other books do so love to thrust upon their world. This is quite surprisingly pure and simple, and just looks at the titular topic – you know, the subject as is common here you'd never have expected to happily read a whole book about – and does it brilliantly. From the different potential origins of the use of OK as an acronym, to what made it global on a scale many words, memes and suchlike could only dream of, we get the use and variations it has come under, the changes technology helped make (or rather, helped us make) to it, and a lot along the way that stands as a free lesson in linguistics and how human groupings have formed their own lingo over the last couple of centuries. Nothing about this is just OK, OK?

[Ula Tardigrade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Languages are my passion - I love to learn more about the origins of words and how they are connected with the history of a particular civilization. And sometimes the most common words have the most interesting history. Such is the case of OK. Moreover, you will learn from this book how this famous acronym was shaped by every technology - from printing press to telephone to the internet.

It can be a little repetitive, as other readers pointed out, but nonetheless is very interesting to read.

The book is a part of an interesting series, Object Lessons, about the hidden lives of ordinary things.

Thanks to the publisher, Bloomsbury Academic, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

[Danielle McClellan · Rating 4 out of 5]

OK is another of the wonderful Object Lessons series. This is my third of the series, and, like the others, the book offers a deep dive into one thing. Here the term OK. The author discusses various theories about the origins of the phrase along with the best documented true Boston origins of the phrase and the socio-historic moment that it came out of. Then she looks into the use of the term in a variety of settings including literature (one of my favorite facts of the book was that both Louisa May Alcott and Henry David Thoreau used the term in drafts of their books, but in both cases it was edited out apparently because its use was considered too colloquial), the telephone, the Internet, and social media. I am becoming obsessed with this series.

My thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for an opportunity to read an ARC.

[Jeff Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

The phrase is ok is a surprisingly elusive term. McSweeney notes that Ok was first used in early 19th Century U.S. Terminology. A time when people played with alternative phrases and spellings. Ok, stood for All Correct. Newspapers would spread the expression and the spelling. The spread was easy with both English Language newspapers, colonization, and the invention of the internet by the United States. However, it is still hard to pinpoint its evolution, spread, and intention.

I enjoy reading these object lesson books. They read like writing prompts or, in this case, random musings. This one was a little thin but still an interesting read.

[Book Club of One · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Object Lessons series, which are "short, beautifully designed books about the hidden lives of ordinary things." For this entry, Michelle McSweeney writes about the word OK detailing it's various incarnations and uses, from the first known usage through to the our contemporary internet discourse.

McSweeney's narrative is chronologically driven, dividing the chapters into chunks of time that are centered on key products, writings or technologies that have made use of OK in all its various incarnations. McSweeney journeys both through the etymology of OK, but also spends a bit of time discussing the sounds of OK, how the shape of the word forms in our mouths and how this aids communication.

OK is a fascinating two hundred year etymological study of the word OK with a lot of interesting, notable or humorous details. Including Coca-Cola's failed 1993 OK Soda, OK's use in telegraphs as a cost cutting measure or ok as a discourse marker to show we are listening during phone calls.

I received a free digital version of this book via NetGalley thanks to the publisher.

[Sharondblk · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the Object Lessons series. Unlike some reviewers, I particularly like the volumes that use the "object" as a way of telling their own story. this is not one of those. This is a history of a word, told in the context of broader societal changes. By grounding it in the broader context this tells more than the story of a word - it discusses a 100 years of change. It's short, interesting and I enjoyed it.

I received a free e-Arc from NetGalley and Bloomsbury Academic in exchange for an honest review.

[Wayne McCoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

'OK' by Michelle McSweeney is a book in the Object Lessons series: a series of short essays about everyday things.

This book looks at the word 'OK' and talks about its origin as well as how it may have become part of the common vernacular. It traces from a mispelled phrase then to use in a political campaign. It gained more speed with rail lines and picked up variants from the internet.

I enjoyed this linguistic journey. The length made it a quick read, and there were lots of facts along the way.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

*ARC was provided by Bloomsbury Academic through Netgalley.

This probably could have been an even longer book - I had no idea the origin of the word/concept/gesture "OK" had such a history, and this felt like it was just skimming the surface. At the same time that's fine, because I'm not sure how long I could read about this for without it getting a little repetitive (which it is to an extent).

[John Kinkade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Possible for HOTEL: a good, short intro that considers a lot of the history of OK and is especially good at placing it in the context of telegrams, trains, and telephones as the technologies that made the word take hold. Good about how the particular phonetics (sonorousness of two vowel sounds) might have affected it, too. Helpful for me on diminuitization in English (adding a vowel ending and doubling are the two primary things). Overall a really enjoyable and enlightening read.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was OK. Feels a little bit wrong to say (haha!), but I found the book rather mediocre. The history is interesting, but the text was redundant and would have benefitted a great deal from another round of revisions, imo.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This fascinating books traces the history of the word OK from it's invention to how it become a common and essential part of everyday communication.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.