OK, okay, alright, and all right

[Guest]

Okay is a colloquial, OK is an adjective, but is all right or alright. All right is OK, yes?

Silly colloquials. It's fine to have them in dialog, but what about narration? In this case, "OK" or "all right"?

 

[fieryjen]

Okay is a colloquial, OK is an adjective, but is all right or alright. All right is OK, yes?

Silly colloquials. It's fine to have them in dialog, but what about narration? In this case, "OK" or "all right"?

You're making my head spin.

 

[Guest]

You're making my head spin.

Sorry. But I'm stuck though.

 

[R. Richard]

Okay is a colloquial, OK is an adjective, but is all right or alright. All right is OK, yes?

Silly colloquials. It's fine to have them in dialog, but what about narration? In this case, "OK" or "all right"?

Usage Note:
Despite the appearance of the form alright in works of such well-known writers as Langston Hughes and James Joyce, the single word spelling has never been accepted as standard. This is peculiar, since similar fusions such as already and altogether have never raised any objections. The difference may lie in the fact that already and altogether became single words back in the Middle Ages, whereas alright has only been around for a little more than a century and was called out by language critics as a misspelling. Consequently, one who uses alright, especially in formal writing, runs the risk that readers may view it as an error or as the willful breaking of convention.

all right

ADJECTIVE:

In proper or satisfactory operational or working order: checked to see if the tires were all right.
Acceptable; agreeable: Delaying the repair is all right by me.
all-right (ôlrt) KEY Informal Satisfactory; good: an all-right fellow; an all-right movie.
Correct: Your answers are all right.
Average; mediocre: The performance was just all right, not remarkable.
Uninjured; safe: The passengers were shaken up but are all right.
Fairly healthy; well: I am feeling all right again.

ADVERB:

In a satisfactory way; adequately: I held up all right under pressure.
Very well; yes. Used as a reply to a question or to introduce a declaration: All right, I'll go.
Without a doubt: It's cold, all right.

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

Okay is a colloquial, OK is an adjective, but is all right or alright. All right is OK, yes?

Silly colloquials. It's fine to have them in dialog, but what about narration? In this case, "OK" or "all right"?

There's an old saying among grammarians, "Alright, is never, all right." And while that is grammatically true, there aren't many grammarians book-buyers.

In commercial fiction, there are no rules, exceptp don't bore the reader. However, most editors I've run across seem to prefer OKAY to OK. The final, creative decision is up to the author. If you want the narrative to have a casual feel, then more casual language is called for and vice versa.

Good luck.

Rumple Foreskin

 

[TheeGoatPig]

You're making my head spin.

You said it...

 

[oggbashan]

I have never really thought about it but all right is OK with me.

Alright and Okay aren't OK. I never use them. OK?

Og

 

[Selena_Kitt]

I've always used "okay" and "alright"...

but I think alright is technically incorrect.

 

[Vermilion]

I've always used "okay" and "alright"...

but I think alright is technically incorrect.

I always use Ok and alright... all this time I've been wrong - woe is me.
x
V

 

[impressive]

In my own work, I use "okay" and "all right."

When editing, I don't care as long as it's consistent.

 

[R. Richard]

I have never really thought about it but all right is OK with me.

Alright and Okay aren't OK. I never use them. OK?

Og

Okey doke!

 

[mjl2010]

When I was in college, Okay and Alright were unacceptable. Ok was tolerated I guess and All Right was acceptable. It was technical writing class though. So maybe that's a difference too.

MJL

 

[Guest]

That's OK, I'll just use synonyms of the two, "unhurt", "definitely" and "yes" instead, all right?

Just kidding.

Thanks, all.

 

[Arafura]

My usage guide said "okay" was wrong and to use "OK" or "O.K." - which just looks utterly bizarre.

Personally, I think "okay" looks gentler, but I conform to the "OK" rule for submissions.

 

[starrkers]

There's an old saying among grammarians, "Alright, is never, all right." And while that is grammatically true, there aren't many grammarians book-buyers.

In commercial fiction, there are no rules, exceptp don't bore the reader. However, most editors I've run across seem to prefer OKAY to OK. The final, creative decision is up to the author. If you want the narrative to have a casual feel, then more casual language is called for and vice versa.

Good luck.

Rumple Foreskin

I'm an old grammarian on this one. "Alright" drives me batty and is likely to result in a rant at anyone silly enough to be listening. It's NOT A WORD!!!!!!
OK, crawling back under my rock now.

 

[R. Richard]

I'm an old grammarian on this one. "Alright" drives me batty and is likely to result in a rant at anyone silly enough to be listening. It's NOT A WORD!!!!!!
OK, crawling back under my rock now.

Irregardless.

 

[CharleyH]

Usage Note:
Despite the appearance of the form alright in works of such well-known writers as Langston Hughes and James Joyce, the single word spelling has never been accepted as standard. This is peculiar, since similar fusions such as already and altogether have never raised any objections. The difference may lie in the fact that already and altogether became single words back in the Middle Ages, whereas alright has only been around for a little more than a century and was called out by language critics as a misspelling. Consequently, one who uses alright, especially in formal writing, runs the risk that readers may view it as an error or as the willful breaking of convention.

all right

ADJECTIVE:

In proper or satisfactory operational or working order: checked to see if the tires were all right.
Acceptable; agreeable: Delaying the repair is all right by me.
all-right (ôlrt) KEY Informal Satisfactory; good: an all-right fellow; an all-right movie.
Correct: Your answers are all right.
Average; mediocre: The performance was just all right, not remarkable.
Uninjured; safe: The passengers were shaken up but are all right.
Fairly healthy; well: I am feeling all right again.

ADVERB:

In a satisfactory way; adequately: I held up all right under pressure.
Very well; yes. Used as a reply to a question or to introduce a declaration: All right, I'll go.
Without a doubt: It's cold, all right.

A best thorough answer, without considering different English cultures.

 

[kendo1]

......

 

[starrkers]

Irregardless.

*halo* I refuse to take the bait.

 

[TheeGoatPig]

*halo* I refuse to take the bait.

Not me. I hate that word and want it eradicated from the universe in all its existence.

 

[CharleyH]

Okay is a colloquial, OK is an adjective, but is all right or alright. All right is OK, yes?

Silly colloquials. It's fine to have them in dialog, but what about narration? In this case, "OK" or "all right"?

Okay, all is right and righteous, alrighty - then. Now that everything is all right, I will go on with other posts, alright? OK, so are you game, then?

 

[Belegon]

You're making my head spin.

now you know how we feel about our repeated scrolling back and forth to stare at your av again....

...unfortunately, the shirt still hasn't moved. *sigh*

I'm really just threadjacking to tease Charley...but a flirt is always fun...

 

[Xelebes]

Alright is okay with me. Doesn't really matter. If the editor feels it is necessary to change that then go right ahead.

However, if they feel the need to do so, change the word "much" to "myce".

 

[SimonBrooke]

I'm an old grammarian on this one. "Alright" drives me batty and is likely to result in a rant at anyone silly enough to be listening. It's NOT A WORD!!!!!!
OK, crawling back under my rock now.

I think this is where we're several nations separated by a single language. 'Alright' is (mainly) an americanism. Mind you, of course, OK (in any of its spellings) was originally an americanism, too. If it is an acronym, then OK would be the correct orthography; but I'm not entirely convinced that it is. I know there a various more or less jokey accounts of its derivation, but I don't really believe any of them.

 

[i812]

Okay is a colloquial, OK is an adjective, but is all right or alright. All right is OK, yes?

Silly colloquials. It's fine to have them in dialog, but what about narration? In this case, "OK" or "all right"?

I went through this with 'anymore'. I settled on any longer.