Show Notes
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.
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