# What's the deal with this "M'kay" shit?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-this-mkay-shit/556770>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [October 11, 2010, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-this-mkay-shit/556770 "2010-10-11T09:09:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\
**Post date:** [October 11, 2010, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-this-mkay-shit/556770/21 "2010-10-11T21:34:45Z")

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> [@Cazzle](#):
>
> > [@spark240](#):
> >
> > Also, people, this isn’t “from” either _South Park_ or _Office Space_… it was used as a joke there because it already existed.
> 
> FWIW, I didn’t make any statement about its origins. The OP claimed to have never encountered it outside the SDMB.

In IRL I’ve only seen it used in online SDMB discussions. I’ve never encountered it elsewhere.

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**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-this-mkay-shit/556770/22 "2010-10-12T12:43:03Z")

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\<double post\>

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**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-this-mkay-shit/556770/23 "2010-10-12T12:44:10Z")

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> [@fjs1fs](#):
>
> But can it core a apple? Mmmmkay.

That’s how I always assumed it was spelled.

And the parody on South Park is that certain people tend to say it after nearly every sentence. It’s an odd bugger, in that it is said like a question, similar to the Canadian “Eh?” but is actually a declarative statement saying “That’s how it is.”

It can be used as a sarcastic OK. “Stop tryign to fix the toilet!” “M’kay, so when it explodes tomorrow, I’ll be back.”

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**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-this-mkay-shit/556770/24 "2010-10-13T03:19:01Z")

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> [@Girl\_From\_Mars](#):
>
> I think it’s from Office Space - [Mr Lumbergh](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19XnhIeVHbk&NR=1), isn’t it?

Actually, it predates Lumbergh, although it’s still from [Mike Judge](http://www.google.com/images?um=1&hl=en&safe=off&biw=800&bih=403&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=1&q=Mr.+Van+Driessen&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=).

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**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-this-mkay-shit/556770/25 "2010-10-13T03:52:17Z")

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> [@Guinastasia](#):
>
> Actually, it predates Lumbergh, although it’s still from [Mike Judge](http://www.google.com/images?um=1&hl=en&safe=off&biw=800&bih=403&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=1&q=Mr.+Van+Driessen&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=).

Actually actually, the Lumbergh character predates _Beavis and Butthead_. He first appeared in the series of shorts Judge did for _Saturday Night Live_ in 1991. The first _Beavis and Butthead_ short was produced in '92.

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