Letter to Winston Churchill May Contain First Known Use of ‘OMG’

NY Magazine ^ | 8-7-12 | Brett Smiley

[TurboZamboni]

Letters of Note curator Shaun Usher has pointed out what might be the first known usage of O.M.G., in a September 1917 missive from British admiral John Arbuthnot "Jacky" Fisher (or Lord Fisher) to Sir Winston Churchill. In a letter to Churchill about some "utterly [upsetting]" World War I–era newspaper headlines, Fisher wrote, "I hear that a new order of Knighthood is on the tapis — O.M.G (Oh! My! God!)— Shower it on the Admiralty!!" To which we assume Churchill replied, "Oh Dear Fisher! I am laughing heartily out loud!!"

[TurboZamboni]

And Winston repied, LOL.

[dfwgator]

[ansel12]

They were also using not!! back then, which the experts have only traced back to the late 1920s but which is used 4 times in an unknown 1918 book that I own.

For example, “well then I will just become a Buddhist and vote for Obama....not!!”

[kevao]

They were also using not!! back then, which the experts have only traced back to the late 1920s but which is used 4 times in an unknown 1918 book that I own.

For example, “well then I will just become a Buddhist and vote for Obama....not!!”

You found that phrase in a book from 1918? OMG!

[Puckster]

“And Winston repied, LOL.”

“laughing heartily out loud”

Negatory.....LHOL!!!!!!!!!!!

[Psycho_Bunny]

“LHOLWASCG”

Laughing heartily out loud with a slight cigar growl.

[cicero2k]

Only meaning for OMG now is:

"Obama Must Go"

[cicero2k]

Only meaning for OMG now is:

"Obama Must Go"

[Fresh Wind]

LHOL!

[SunkenCiv]

GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother & Ernest_at_the_Beach	join list or digest view topics view or post blog bookmark post a topic subscribe
Don't even *ask* Churchill what "GFY" stands for... Just adding to the catalog, not sending a general distribution. To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list.

[TurboZamboni]

here here! jolly good!

[Ciexyz]

Good on ya, mate.

[Rebelbase]

Revising famous quotes to text speak.

Churchill: Lady Astor, Im drunk and ur ugly,LOL but in the morning ill be sober.

Lady Astor: OMG!

[Bellflower]

To use this expression is wrong. Anything that trivializes profound reverence for God, or the mention of Him, is a breaking of the 10 Commandments. The use of the word “God” is not to be used as merely a casual expression, without due reverence as to who He is.

[Oztrich Boy]

And Robin Hood once said, “I don’t think the Sheriff is bothered by us eating the King’s Deer, Much”

[ansel12]

Excellent wording, and it makes the point perfectly.

[Oztrich Boy]

Well I made that up, but "Fake, but accurate"

From "A Dictionary of Archaic Words" by Frank Orchard Halliwell -1850 (ie usage that had become old 160 years ago)

"Much": A term or expression of contempt in old plays, and generally meaning little or none, far from it, by no means.

[ansel12]

I thought they were your own words, they were well chosen, and they remind us that nothing is new under the sun.