Okay

[Jackie0]

I don't know if this is a new thing or if I've just started to notice it , but it's everywhere , particularly with young people and it's driving me nuts.

Example
"Would you like a drink ?"
"Okay".

A recent visit with a young family member to the cinema. " Would you like some popcorn ?"
" okay".
It gives me the rage. You are not doing me a favour .The appropriate response should be ' yes please " or "no thank you".
I work with young people and I'm correcting them every time , I can't stop myself .

Really? In spoken informal English, you have a problem with "okay"? Is it that you don't understand their meaning? Or is there some rule about the use of okay that I'm not aware of - when you say "correct" what makes you think it is incorrect? If it's just a question of politeness, what about "Okay. Thanks"?

I don't think okay makes sense as a response to those questions, I'd only say it if someone said "I'm just nipping to the toilet" for example.
"Do you want a drink?" "Okay" doesn't make sense!

It does make sense to me. To me 'okay' means 'yes' or rather that's one meaning anyway, it's kind of shorthand for 'OK, yes please'. I completely agree that it's more polite to say yes please and I would insist on a 'please' even with an 'okay' but I don't think it's actually 'wrong'

No I've no problem with okay as in yes .
It grates on me if it's a response to an offer.
So a normal exchange is , " I'll phone you tomorrow ". " okay"
An impolite answer to " would you like to join us for dinner tomorrow ? " " okay".
Surely the response to an offer is always yes please/ no thank you.

Ah, so this really belongs on Etiquette Corner rather than Pedants' Corner!

I agree I would probably pick my children up on this if this was their consistent response to an offer. But I don't think I'd condemn someone as a rude in an informal situation if they answered this way.

Ha! I was being rhetorical in referring to "Etiquette Corner", but I've just checked and there is a board: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/etiquette

You're right dad .
I hadn't realised there was an etiquette topic

Well, as I say, until an hour ago I hadn't realised there was one either! It looks about as busy as Pedants' Corner.

To say OK in response to an offer sounds to me as though you accept but get little pleasure from the offer and expect none from the thing offered. I agree that it may strictly be a question of good manners rather than pedantry but if one of mine says it they get told that if they do not really want what is offered they will not be given it.

On a loosely linked theme does anyone else detest "May I get?" or worse, "Can I get?" when choosing from a menu in a pub or restaurant? If I were the waiter or waitress I would be tempted to say "Yes, if you like, it's over there."

It's really short for "yes, okay". A slightly lazy way of saying it, but fine.

OP, I think I'm with you, I understand Okay to mean 'alright then' or 'alright'. Not 'Yes'.

"Would you like to eat some popcorn with me?"
"Okay"

Not

"Would you like some popcorn?"
"Okay"

Okay seems to me to be a positive response to a suggestion rather than just an affirmative word.

"Did you have a good day at school"
"Okay"
Doesn't work