# OK, so, why the "OK" and "So"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 10, 2005, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-why-the-ok-and-so/307754 "2005-06-10T16:36:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2005, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-why-the-ok-and-so/307754/1 "2005-06-10T16:36:59Z")
OK - so what’s the oddest way anyone has ever asked you out? What’s the oddest way anyone has ever asked you out? So, Would This Strike You as Sleazy? (Somewhat Political in Nature) Would This Strike You as Sleazy? (Somewhat Political in Nature) So I’m moving to Davis, CA. Help me please! I’m moving to Davis, CA. Help me please! So What was Saddam Up To? What was Saddam Up To? So what’s the deal with extreme programming? What’s the deal with extreme programming? ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2005, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-why-the-ok-and-so/307754/2 "2005-06-10T16:37:47Z")
Ok, so? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2005, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-why-the-ok-and-so/307754/3 "2005-06-10T16:43:36Z")
So I was reading SDMB and I found this thread. Ok, I don’t really see the problem. ‘Ok(ay)’ and ‘So’ are little words that people insert to change the subject. Think ‘So, anyway…’ Person 1: I have a new puppy! Person 2: Dogs are good. Too bad about what they do to them in science labs. Person 3: Did you hear about Laika? The Russians sent him up into space and just left him to die! Bastards! Person 1: **So, anyway…** I’ve named him Mr. Puppypants. The usage has become common in conversational speach, and I think that people use it in thread titles to mention something that may be inconsequential. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2005, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-why-the-ok-and-so/307754/4 "2005-06-10T16:54:44Z")
The first one OK - so what’s the oddest way anyone has ever asked you out? is mine, so I can answer that at least. Because I was thinking about it, for some reason, and remembered that cute guy, and that’s just how I think, so I phrased the question that way… Really? Because it feels more like a conversation to me then. And this is MPSIMS, is it not? The Land Of Conversations? Plus I like “Ok” and “So”. So there. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2005, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-why-the-ok-and-so/307754/5 "2005-06-10T16:59:36Z")
Okay, so what’s for lunch? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2005, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-why-the-ok-and-so/307754/6 "2005-06-10T17:03:04Z")
Brits seem to use ‘Right!’ sometimes to change subjects. In German, ‘Also’ (‘thus’) is often used to start a sentence; rather like ‘Well…’ or ‘So’. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2005, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-why-the-ok-and-so/307754/7 "2005-06-10T17:16:01Z")
Breaking news: _subject titles_ aren’t conversations. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2005, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-why-the-ok-and-so/307754/8 "2005-06-10T17:19:21Z")
> [@Walloon](#): > > Breaking news: _subject titles_ aren’t conversations. Ok? Does this make you brighter than me, by pointing this out? I really feel like breaking a rule or two and being mean to you. Do you have no sense of humor or did it just up and die? ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2005, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-why-the-ok-and-so/307754/9 "2005-06-10T17:23:04Z")
> [@Walloon](#): > > Breaking news: _subject titles_ aren’t conversations. Is the inclusion of “breaking news” there really much better than the use of “well”, or “so”? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2005, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-why-the-ok-and-so/307754/10 "2005-06-10T17:28:22Z")
> [@Walloon](#): > > Breaking news: _subject titles_ aren’t conversations. In other news today, pompousness has been found to be not well-received. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2005, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-why-the-ok-and-so/307754/11 "2005-06-10T17:32:28Z")
**Anaamika** , “breaking news” was used to inject a bit of humor in the post. You seem to have misplaced yours. ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2005, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-why-the-ok-and-so/307754/12 "2005-06-10T17:37:36Z")
Perhaps he lost it while shining his…oh never mind, not going there. Ok, so see, when people talk they might say “uh”, or “um” a lot, and like you know other things to kind of like put what might be emphatic spaces into their sentences, so, like instead of writing “UM”, they use so, or ok. Ok? ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2005, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-why-the-ok-and-so/307754/13 "2005-06-10T17:40:20Z")
Oops, sorry misread that whole string…Didn’t mean to be slamming on **Anaamika**. Forgiveness is begged. ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2005, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-why-the-ok-and-so/307754/14 "2005-06-10T17:53:40Z")
OK, so, why am I not going to move this over to **IMHO**? Just kidding. I am. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2005, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-why-the-ok-and-so/307754/15 "2005-06-10T17:56:16Z")
OK, so, I misunderstood the thread. I’s gonna move it right back. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2005, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-why-the-ok-and-so/307754/16 "2005-06-10T18:07:06Z")
**SkipMagic** , you’re turning into Skippy the Squirrel. Stop it. ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2005, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-why-the-ok-and-so/307754/17 "2005-06-10T18:08:52Z")
> [@Hal Briston](#): > > In other news today, **pompousness** has been found to be not well-received. OK, so who else would have typed _pomposity_ instead of the word I bolded in **Hal** ’s sentence? 😃 According to my dictionary, either nominal form of _pompous_ is acceptable. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2005, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-why-the-ok-and-so/307754/18 "2005-06-10T18:24:28Z")
My spellchecker accepted it, and so do I. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2005, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-why-the-ok-and-so/307754/19 "2005-06-10T18:29:31Z")
> [@Walloon](#): > > **Anaamika** , “breaking news” was used to inject a bit of humor in the post. You seem to have misplaced yours. Okey-dokey. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2005, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-why-the-ok-and-so/307754/20 "2005-06-10T18:40:06Z")
> [@Johnny L.A.](#): > > Person 1: I have a new puppy! > Person 2: Dogs are good. Too bad about what they do to them in science labs. > Person 3: Did you hear about Laika? The Russians sent him up into space and just left him to die! Bastards! > Person 1: **So, anyway…** I’ve named him Mr. Puppypants. Ok, it’s all about perspective. So when you think you’ve got it bad, just remember Laika… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-why-the-ok-and-so/307754.md?page=2)