The term POSH is another example of an ACRONYM. Although some sources differ on the word's origin, many accept that it stems from the words: Port Out, Starboard Home. POSH was stamped on certain boat tickets and soon became a term used to denote first class seating. Eventually, this Acronym developed into a word that described the finer things in life.

And talking about LOVE BOAT trips, another funny thing happened on the way to form America. Many Italian immigrants had "W.O.P." stamped on their papers. It wasn't meant as a derogatory term, but simply stood for With Out Passport.  Even the French got into the act with Respondez S'il Vous Plait (RSVP).  Other examples of Acronyms are:  White Anglo Saxon Protestant (WASP), Parent Teachers Association (PTA), Save Our Ship (SOS), Knock Out (KO), Constable On Patrol (COP), Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation (LASER), Absent With Out Leave (AWOL), and the way to get those Killer B's -- the Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) team.  "OK", have you followed this so far?

We have just used a unique ACRONYM in the first word of the preceding paragraph, i.e., "OK". This is a great example of the way American humor, language, and DoubleTakes all work together. There have been many versions on how the term "OK" got its start.  One report states that President Martin Van Buren used the Acronym in the Presidential Campaign of 1840. "OK" or Old Kinderhook Van Buren was born in Kinderhook, N.Y.

There is, however, an earlier and probably more reliable story that we prefer and an example of a DoubleTake at its best. This version determines that "OK" was first printed about 150 years ago in Boston. A whole rash (ready to break out yet?) of Acronyms came into vogue (not the magazine). RTBS, Remains To Be Seen, and SP, Small Potatoes, are two examples of these Acronyms. Eventually, this phrase craze phase ran its course, but not before both language and thought were influenced. Acronyms began to appear that did not quite make sense. (Nounsense?) Meanwhile, back at the ranch (or should that be the OK Corral?)...

These DT WACKRONYMS™ (a DT name - first used in DT's "The Official Goldbuster Guidebook", 1986), of Waylaid and Wacky Acronyms, made people stop, look, or listen to a DoubleTake. Various "inkorrect" and often misspelled Wackronyms caught on.  The term O.W., which stood for Oll Wright, became popular for a brief "spell". O.W. eventually gave way to the Wackronym that started this discussion, "OK" or  Oll Korrect.   Even today, few realize what  "OK" stands for. (Actually, it won't stand for much more of this!)

Remember what FBI meant when you were a kid?  That's right, Fat Boys Incorporated.  That FBI Wackronym was probably the first exposure (double?) most of us experienced with this type of DoubleTake. Ricky Nelson trivia experts might also remember an old movie involving a different FBI (Foundation Builders Inc, a corset company owned by Uncle Sam) word riddle.  Or would that be a Nelson Riddle joke? 

Let's see if you can remember the next DT WACKRONYM™ that came across you. Here are a few hints:

Chevy loved it, crossing rivers will get you there, and it's affordable.  Give up? 
PAR CARTS    
What about the standard (automatic optional) expression: FORD (Fix Or Replace Daily) …(Of course with the Ford SUV (Suburban Utility Van), the “R"in "Replace” was replaced with "Rollover". In the same genre, (Is that really a word?) how about Fix It Again Tony?  Any foreign car owners out there?  YOU SHOULDA BOUGHT AMERICAN.  And while we are still near the subject of FIAT, the dictionary defines fiat, as paper currency of government issue, which is made legal tender by fiat or law, and contains no promise of redemption -- unlike Superstition Gold.

The WACKS (You're in the Army now!) - see the links below, give you an idea of the extent to which this wattack has become on the Acronym. In fact, we're forming a group called the AA,  "Acronymic's Anonymous", to help us in our battle. Unfortunately, you ain't heard nuthin’ yet .... We got a million of 'em. Thanks Jimmy D.

Not sure what category, but where did the term Q-tip come from?
(also see ALPHA BETS )

To see more Wackronm™ acronyms, go to the next page:DT Wackronyms or to Wacky Movies.

SIP one for the Road:

Happened to come across this and thought it might be of interest. 
* Amazon.com Statistically Improbable Phrases
"Amazon.com's Statistically Improbable Phrases, or "SIPs", are the most distinctive phrases in the text of books in the Search Inside!™ program. To identify SIPs, our computers scan the text of all books in the Search Inside! program. If they find a phrase that occurs a large number of times in a particular book relative to all Search Inside! books, that phrase is a SIP in that book.

SIPs are not necessarily improbable within a particular book, but they are improbable relative to all books in Search Inside!. For example, most SIPs for a book on taxes are tax related. But because we display SIPs in order of their improbability score, the first SIPs will be on tax topics that this book mentions more often than other tax books. For works of fiction, SIPs tend to be distinctive word combinations that often hint at important plot elements.

Click on a SIP to view a list of books in which the phrase occurs. You can also view a list of references to the phrase in each book. Learn more about the phrase by clicking on the A9.com search link.

Have some ideas for improving this feature? Please send your feedback to sitb-feedback@amazon.com"

* from Amazon.com website

Note:DT Wackronym™ acronyms and many other trademarked items were first used in DT's "The Official Goldbuster Guidebook", 1986.