Although I was aware of O.K. not being okay, it wasn't until I learned from an editor that O.K. and OK might be fine for a newspaper or newsletter column, but if when writing fiction, and especially in dialogue, spell it out as the word "okay". —William Zinsser
Fads come and go and undergo mutations, so do acronyms. I was amazed to find O.K. first appeared in a 1839 Boston Morning Post. It's been around a very long time. The abbreviation, O.K., was used as an abbreviation for "oll korrect."
It is also not surprising to me that such a little word aggravates readers and editors. After all, OK and O.K. jump off the page like buckshot in the eyes and draw undue attention to themselves.
On the other hand, okay flows with the words in a sentence and doesn't bother the eyes.
I knew about the difference when I was a secretary. When taking dictation the shorthand OK went down but, in the boss's letter, it went in as "okay."
When did you learn the difference between using the acronym OK or O.K. and spelling out the word "okay?"
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