can anyone please tell me what the O.K stands for in O.K Corral.
i originally thought it stood for oklahoma, but now i think it might be someones initials.
any ideas???

and while i am at it, what does the c stand for in e=mc2

Originally posted by xltim
can anyone please tell me what the O.K stands for in O.K Corral.
i originally thought it stood for oklahoma, but now i think it might be someones initials.
any ideas???

I assume its just its name. it was in Tombstone Arizona

although from google in the origins of ok:

All clear after the shoot-out at O.K. Corral.

The OK Corral was in Arizona, so not sure if it would be called the Oklamhoma Corral, but who knows... and the c represents the speed of light I believe.

"The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral was an event of legendary proportion which has been portrayed in numerous Western films. The actual event occurred on October 26, 1881, in a vacant lot, known as lot 2, in block 17, behind the corral, in Tombstone, Arizona (a corral is like a livery stable; the analogous location in Denver was called the Elephant Corral). Thirty shots were fired in thirty seconds. "

That doesn't exactly tell you what OK stands for but since it was in Tombstone, Arizona I doubt it stands for Oklahoma. Seems it was just the name of a local business.

In addition:

E=mc2

or

Energy = Mass x (Speed of Light)2

The speed of light is denoted by the letter c, reputedly from the Latin celeritas, "speed", and also known as Einstein's constant.

So to answer your question:

C=the speed of light
or
C=299,792,458 metres per second
or
C=186,282.4 miles per second

Peace,

Locker

Originally posted by xltim
and while i am at it, what does the c stand for in e=mc2

c2 is the square of the speed of light.

The OK Corral was a holding pen for horses available for hire by a livery business. OK was just the name of the business.

c = the speed of light.

Other origins for 'OK' come from 'oll korrect' - phonetic spelling of that phrase - and the sound of the French phrase 'au quai' - meaning 'at dock' - that a boat was tied up and hence secure.

As for the OK Corral - I think, as has been said, that that was simply the name of the business.

Joe

The origin of the word 'OK' is one of those intriguing etymological mysteries that will probably never be conclusively solved (rather like many other common words or sayings, such as 'posh' 'the full monty' or 'chav').

What we do know that it seems to have been first used (widely) in the US presidential election of 1840 by the presidential candidate Martin Van Buren, who was born in Kinderhook and was known as 'Old Kinderhook'. His supporters formed the OK Club and the rest is history....

Or perhaps not

Others say it derived from a popular saying 'Orl Correct', or from the Scottish Och Aye, or from the French au quai or from the Choctaw Oke, or from the Greek ola kala or from a freight agent Obediah Kelly or from....you name it.

Personally, I think the first explanation seems the most plausible.

Is that OK?

here's a few:

Devious Derivations: Popular Misconceptions -- and More than 1,000 True Origins of Common Words and Phrases" by Hugh Rawson (toExcel, Iuniverse.com, 1994, 2000). This reference has some new information on the origins listed here (new information in parenthesis), new origins and what could be the actual origin.

: : 1. Orrin Kendall biscuits, which soldiers ate during the Civil War.
: : 2. Short for Aux Cayes, a Haitian port that American sailors praised for its rum.
: : 3. Old Keokuk, a Native American tribal chief who was said to have signed treaties with his initials.
: : 4. OK stands for "all correct" or the illiterate phrase "Orl Korrect."
: : 5. U.S. President Martin Van Buren's nickname "Old Kinderhook" -- OK for short. He was a native of Kinderhook, N.Y.
: : 6. Choctaw word "okeh," (or "hoke") meaning "indeed" (or "It is so.")
: : 7. Scottish "auch aye", meaning "ah yes." (Or "och aye," meaning "okay.")
: : 8. From the French maritime phrase "au quai" meaning "at dock", and therefore at last safe from the ravages of the open sea.
: : 9. '0 killed' - the report of the night's death toll during the First World War.
: : 10. All clear after the shoot-out at O.K. Corral.
: : 11. Instruments calibrated at an Observatory at Kew had, affixed to them, a stamp, or impression, to authenticate that calibration. This stamp was O K - Observatory Kew.

: : New origins from Mr. Rawson's book:
: : 12. The abbreviation is for Oberst Kommandant, German for "Colonel in Command," used by either -- take your pick -- a General Schliessen or Baron von Steuben when initialing letters and orders during the American Revolution.
: : 13. It comes from the name of a freight agent, Obadiah Kelly, whose initials were widely disseminated on bills of lading.
: : 14. The abbreviation is for Open Key, popularized by telegraphers in the 1860s.
: : 15. It comes from the names of Lords Onslow and Kilbracken, who initialed bills after they were read and approved in England's House of Lords.
: : 16. From a misreading of "Order Recorded" on official documents.
: : 17. Or from Finnish "oikea," correct.
: : 18. From the Greek "olla," all, plus "Kalla," good.

There is a 19th explanation and that is that it originated in a Yorkshire pub in the 19th century. It referred to the line from which darts are thrown - the 'oche'. When the darts player was standing correctly on the line, the referee would shout 'Oche', which was gradually transmuted into 'OK'.

i think we have gone off the subject a bit,
i dont think the meaning of o.k as in alright, has got anything to do with the ok corral.
i have been on a website and asked but i am having problems with my email at the moment, so i will have to wait,
that is unless someone else wants to ask.

Originally posted by xltim
i think we have gone off the subject a bit,
i dont think the meaning of o.k as in alright, has got anything to do with the ok corral.
i have been on a website and asked but i am having problems with my email at the moment, so i will have to wait,
that is unless someone else wants to ask.

What is the connection with Oklahoma? The OK corral was in Tombstone Arizona.

i know,
that has already been said.

I found these two sites. They don't exactly answer your question, but it was fun looking !

http://clantongang.com/oldwest/ok.html

http://members.aol.com/ChipCooper/okcorral.html