People have been left stunned after discovering the real reason why an ‘o’ is placed before the word ‘clock’.
The English language is brimming with quirky and fascinating words that have become so ingrained in our vocabulary that we often overlook their origins.
Take the ubiquitous word ‘OK’ or ‘okay’, for example, which we frequently use to signal agreement, much like a thumbs up.
The term “OK” has an intriguing history stretching back nearly two centuries, originating as an abbreviation of “oll korrect,” a playful twist on “all correct.”
This was part of a 19th-century craze for whimsical abbreviations, including others like OW (oll wright), KY (know yuse, or no use), and NS (’nuff said).
It’s believed that “OK” emerged from a fad in the 1830s that involved intentional misspellings, where ‘all correct’ was humorously written as ‘oll korrect’. This trend was just one aspect of a wider movement of deliberate misspellings and abbreviations at the time.
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And then there’s the mystery of what the ‘o’ in o’clock actually stands for. A social media user recently pondered: “What’s the meaning of “O” in O’clock?” sparking a flurry of responses.
One person mistakenly claimed: “It just stands for zero. So nine O’ clock is right at 9. Then 9:01 9:02 9 O’ 3 … it just means zero.”
Yet, the majority of responses correctly identified that it is a contraction of “of the clock”.
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Dating back to Middle English, a language spoken post the Norman Conquest of 1066 until the late 15th century, it was later colloquially used as ‘o’ or ‘o” as an abbreviation for ‘on’ or ‘of’. This is still prevalent in some words today, such as ‘o’clock’, ‘Jack-o’-lantern’, and ‘will-o’-the-wisp.
In the context of surnames, especially those with Celtic roots, the common prefix ‘O” originates from Old Irish “o”, signifying “descendant.”
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One individual elaborated: “The “O” in “O’clock” stands for “of the.” The phrase “O’clock” is a contraction of “of the clock,” which was historically used to specify the time according to the clock. For example, saying “it’s 3 o’clock” originally meant “it is 3 of the clock.” Over time, “of the” was shortened to just “O’,” leading to the phrase we commonly use today. Over time, “of the” was abbreviated to just “O’,” leading to the phrase we commonly use today.”
Another user, thrilled by this newfound knowledge, responded: “See this is why I like threads it’s the questions and answers I never thought of.”
Sourse: www.express.co.uk
