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Most of us use 'okay' on here. The origin seems a bit fuzzy, though: I read a long time ago that it was the rallying cry of one of the big American Indian chiefs. He would run his pony along the line of massed braves, encouraging them and yelling something like "O-kah-hay" (meaning 'we're ready to go') before they launched against the US cavalry. Maybe someone knows different?

Having worked for Americans and American-educated people for 20 years, I've got (or gotten) used to American spelling and will annoy Brian by using a 'zee' instead of an 's', as in 'realize', 'idealize', but I draw the line at 'burglarize'! But there's a difference between mere idiomatic American usage, and using American spelling and sentence construction. When I first worked for Americans, they asked why we English finish so many sentences with the interrogative, don't we? Which is a bit rich coming from a country where it's now an annoying fashion to end with just such an intonation? :teeth:

<blockquote data-quote="krizon" data-source="post: 2091721" data-attributes="member: 64950">Most of us use &#039;okay&#039; on here.&nbsp; The origin seems a bit fuzzy, though:&nbsp; I read a long time ago that it was the rallying cry of one of the big American Indian chiefs.&nbsp; He would run his pony along the line of massed braves, encouraging them and yelling something like &quot;O-kah-hay&quot; (meaning &#039;we&#039;re ready to go&#039;) before they launched against the US cavalry.&nbsp; Maybe someone knows different?Having worked for Americans and American-educated people for 20 years, I&#039;ve got (or gotten) used to American spelling and will annoy Brian by using a &#039;zee&#039; instead of an &#039;s&#039;, as in &#039;realize&#039;, &#039;idealize&#039;, but I draw the line at &#039;burglarize&#039;!&nbsp; But there&#039;s a difference between mere idiomatic American usage, and using American spelling and sentence construction.&nbsp; When I first worked for Americans, they asked why we English finish so many sentences with the interrogative, don&#039;t we?&nbsp; Which is a bit rich coming from a country where it&#039;s now an annoying fashion to end with just such an intonation?&nbsp;&nbsp; :teeth:</blockquote>

[QUOTE="krizon, post: 2091721, member: 64950"] Most of us use 'okay' on here. The origin seems a bit fuzzy, though: I read a long time ago that it was the rallying cry of one of the big American Indian chiefs. He would run his pony along the line of massed braves, encouraging them and yelling something like "O-kah-hay" (meaning 'we're ready to go') before they launched against the US cavalry. Maybe someone knows different? Having worked for Americans and American-educated people for 20 years, I've got (or gotten) used to American spelling and will annoy Brian by using a 'zee' instead of an 's', as in 'realize', 'idealize', but I draw the line at 'burglarize'! But there's a difference between mere idiomatic American usage, and using American spelling and sentence construction. When I first worked for Americans, they asked why we English finish so many sentences with the interrogative, don't we? Which is a bit rich coming from a country where it's now an annoying fashion to end with just such an intonation? :teeth: [/QUOTE]

Verification: 5 + 3 = ?