[QCWA] History of "OK" as a telegraph prosig

[Harvey Chase]

    Sometimes lexicographers commit gross errors in tracing the origin of words in common use in the English Language. So I believe it is with their opinion as to the derivation of "OK" or "okay." For if you look it up in your copy of "Webster's" dictionary you will find that it is attributed to "Old Kindernook" a nickname for Martin Van Buren or the club that was established to support his candidacy for president (O.K. Club) in the 1836 election. (He served from 1837 to 1841 before Morse's telegraph became the popular method of communication.) or to a corruption of "all correct" [oll korrect] used as a telegraph abbreviation.
    I strongly disagree with that My reasoning is as follows:
        First of all, we must realize that the original "Morse" code (invented by Alfred Vail, Morse's partner) did not contain any code for punctuation (or numerals, either). so there was no code for "?." A signal was invented for this consisting of INT all run together [my computer won't do overlines]. This signal was used to inquire if everything was all right on the other end of the circuit. (The US Navy later used this for the question mark). That signal (INT) was soon corrupted to UA, with the same meaning. The answer to UA was . . -.- [OK] in the old landline code. Meaning "all right." 
    For those not familiar with the American Morse (landline) code, please refer to my web page at <hhtp://www.qsl.net/w4tg> there is a link at the bottom of that page that will take you to my article "A Brief History of the Telegraph" with addenda. 
    73
    Harvey/W4TG