7 ms·

Is it me or does the final paragraph totally contradict itself? > It's not that it was needed to 'fill a gap' in any language. Before 1839, English speakers ha

Is it me or does the final paragraph totally contradict itself? > It's not that it was needed to 'fill a gap' in any language. Before 1839, English speakers had 'yes,' 'good,' 'fine,' 'excellent,' 'satisfactory' and 'all right.' What OK provided that the others did not was neutrality, a way to affirm or to express agreement without having to offer an opinion. That, as is then explained - response without judgement, is a really big and useful gap to fill.

wizzwizz4 2y ago
Affirmative.
- mc32 2y ago
  Just a couple too many syllables.
  - deleted 2y ago
    [deleted]
  - eyelidlessness 2y ago
    Ack
    - inopinatus 2y ago
      RST
      - quesera 2y ago
        In certain IRC contexts, it was common to see "syn". This became "yt?" in the next generation, unfortunately.
  - lll-o-lll 2y ago
    Sure
    - pishpash 2y ago
      Mm
- deleted 2y ago
  [deleted]
ubutler 2y ago
Also, I’m not too sure that saying ‘ok’ is to ‘affirm or to express agreement’. Sometimes it can be used to simply acknowledge that someone has said something, such as when you say ‘ok sure’ or ‘ok but’. And if I am wrong, and it does mean to affirm, then doesn’t that by necessity mean that it involves ‘offering an opinion’? Affirmation and/or agreement is not neutral.
- incompatible 2y ago
  It's used in different contexts, including the original meaning of "all correct", which is apparently offering an opinion.
  - hunter2_ 2y ago
    Almost sounds more like a statement of fact checking than of offering an opinion (unless said by the first person, as was the case during the very first usage, in a bizarre "I am right" manner).
  - jonplackett 2y ago
    I think a mumbled uh hu is about the best we have for this.
    - ang_cire 2y ago
      That also can be used in the affirmative: "Wanna get food?" "Uh huh." "Understood", or "got it" expresses acknowledgement without agreement.
- SilasX 2y ago
  I've long thought that we need to create a new (short) word that exists solely so you can communicate that you got the message, but not indicate any position on it. Something like AROM (acknowledging receipt of message). Of course, good luck keeping it in that semantic space even if you got it off the ground
  - 2y ago
SamBam 2y ago
Yup.
makeitdouble 2y ago
Then I don't see "yes" as being opinionated or biased. I'm assuming "OK" was needed because "yes" is otherwise used in so many contexts, including just as a nod to keep a conversation going, in no small part because of its neutrality. So a new word allows for more intentionality (which is important, and we still agree fills a really big gap)
- deleted 2y ago
  [deleted]

wizzwizz4 2y ago

Affirmative.

mc32 2y ago
Just a couple too many syllables.
- deleted 2y ago
  [deleted]
- eyelidlessness 2y ago
  Ack
  - inopinatus 2y ago
    RST
    - quesera 2y ago
      In certain IRC contexts, it was common to see "syn". This became "yt?" in the next generation, unfortunately.
- lll-o-lll 2y ago
  Sure
  - pishpash 2y ago
    Mm
deleted 2y ago
[deleted]

ubutler 2y ago

Also, I’m not too sure that saying ‘ok’ is to ‘affirm or to express agreement’. Sometimes it can be used to simply acknowledge that someone has said something, such as when you say ‘ok sure’ or ‘ok but’. And if I am wrong, and it does mean to affirm, then doesn’t that by necessity mean that it involves ‘offering an opinion’? Affirmation and/or agreement is not neutral.

incompatible 2y ago
It's used in different contexts, including the original meaning of "all correct", which is apparently offering an opinion.
- hunter2_ 2y ago
  Almost sounds more like a statement of fact checking than of offering an opinion (unless said by the first person, as was the case during the very first usage, in a bizarre "I am right" manner).
- jonplackett 2y ago
  I think a mumbled uh hu is about the best we have for this.
  - ang_cire 2y ago
    That also can be used in the affirmative: "Wanna get food?" "Uh huh." "Understood", or "got it" expresses acknowledgement without agreement.
SilasX 2y ago
I've long thought that we need to create a new (short) word that exists solely so you can communicate that you got the message, but not indicate any position on it. Something like AROM (acknowledging receipt of message). Of course, good luck keeping it in that semantic space even if you got it off the ground
- 2y ago

SamBam 2y ago

Yup.

makeitdouble 2y ago

Then I don't see "yes" as being opinionated or biased. I'm assuming "OK" was needed because "yes" is otherwise used in so many contexts, including just as a nod to keep a conversation going, in no small part because of its neutrality. So a new word allows for more intentionality (which is important, and we still agree fills a really big gap)

deleted 2y ago
[deleted]