ok Italian · revision 37535

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1931}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /oˈkɛ.i/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ok''' (invariable; also written ''OK'', ''o.k.'' and ''O.K.'')^(Gabrielli 2020)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ The full form ''okay'' is also used.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|en|OK]], the American English word, recorded in Italian from 1931.^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) Nocentini gives the usual account of the English word: it began as a jocular abbreviation of “all correct” (everything in order), appeared first in a Boston daily paper in 1839 and was soon taken up by other papers.^(Nocentini 2010) Its spread came with the American election campaign of 1840 and the founding of the “Old Kinderhook Club”, known by its initials, named after Kinderhook in the state of New York, the birthplace of the outgoing president Martin Van Buren.^(Nocentini 2010) GRADIT gives only the second explanation, and only as a possibility: the letters would stand for “Old Kinderhook”, Van Buren's nickname, the name of a committee formed in New York in 1840 for his re-election.^(GRADIT 2003) Devoto–Oli also connects it with the Old Kinderhook Club.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Nocentini and GRADIT date the word to 1931, as an adverb of assent meaning “all right, agreed”.^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003) Zingarelli's date is 1945.^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Devoto–Oli notes that ''OK'' was recognized as an international signal of assent by the International Telecommunication Conference held in Madrid in 1932.^(Devoto–Oli 2026) In Italian the adverb of assent is also used as an interjection that closes or changes a topic, and it became a masculine noun meaning “approval, go-ahead”, as in ''dare l’ok'' and ''ricevere l’ok''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010) A technical sense is the mark on an airline ticket confirming that the seat is booked.^(GRADIT 2003) In the language of young people it is also an adjective, “right, fine, just as it should be”, and ''essere ok'' means to be suitable or to be all right.^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1839 – The abbreviation appears in a Boston daily paper.^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 1840 – The Old Kinderhook Club is founded during the American election campaign.^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * 1931 – First record in Italian.^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * 1932 – The Madrid telecommunication conference adopts ''OK'' as an international signal.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ * 1945 – Zingarelli's date for the word.^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # All right, [[m|en|agreed]], used to accept or confirm: ''«Passo a prenderti alle otto?» «Ok.»''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(interjection)'' Used to close a topic or to move on: ''ok, adesso torniamo al lavoro''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|approval]], go-ahead, in ''dare'', ''avere'' or ''ricevere l’ok'': ''il comune ha dato l’ok ai lavori''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # The mark on an airline ticket that confirms the seat booking.^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # ''(colloquial, youth language)'' Right, fine, suitable: ''una maglietta ok per la festa''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[okay]]

+ * [[en|OK]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The usual Italian pronunciation is /oˈkɛi/, beside the English /əʊˈkeɪ/.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020) ''Tutto ok'' means “everything is fine, the situation is under control”.^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}