Sdewalks of New York

[Laurence Horn]

>I heard another distinguished historian on TV a week or so ago
>explain that "OK" comes from "Old Kinderhook."
>
>I guess they hear the story in college and never bother to question
>it.  I mean, those *are* the initials, right?
>
>JL

Well, as Read himself pointed out, that historian should get part
credit, anyway (although perhaps not a passing grade, depending on
the curve), since Old Kinderhook, Martin Van Buren, and the Tammany
OK Club are part of the "trajectory" of the word--unlike Cherokee
"okeh" and whatever is volunteered by those who cry Wolof...

Larry