Findings of a psychic medium

[Siamese Girl]

I hate to add myself to the sceptics as I really would like to have an open mind, but OK is definitely a term that only came into general usage in England around WW2. According to the Oxford English Dictionary it began life in America in the 1840s and the first recording of it in the UK was in 1900.

Carole

[Rena]

I hate to add myself to the sceptics as I really would like to have an open mind, but OK is definitely a term that only came into general usage in England around WW2. According to the Oxford English Dictionary it began life in America in the 1840s and the first recording of it in the UK was in 1900.

Carole

If one looks back a few centuries and sees the original words, surnames, etc., it can be agreed that the human race has eventually shortened most placenames, surnames and phrases.  I can't remember the actual words but "goodbye" originated from a phrase such as this:  God go with thee

Being from the north I'm accustomed to saying "aye" when I agree with something thus can visualize okay might have had its origins earlier than 1840.
 
Here are a few earlier expressions from which the word okay might have sprung from:
 
Scots expression och aye, the Greek ola kala ('it is good'), the Choctaw Indian oke or okeh ('it is so'), the French aux Cayes ('from Cayes', a port in Haiti with a reputation for good rum) or au quai ('to the quay', as supposedly used by French-speaking dockers

[Rena]

I have not been a sceptic to the unexplainable for the last decade.  

I too have searched but haven't been able to find any information online, which is not such a bad thing as there are more hidden documents in the archives than the few that are indexed and available online.   Knowing that dialects can have an effect on spelling I also searched quite a few archives using a proliferation of wildcards and keywords.  If Nathaniel Colwell were Irish for example and used phonetic sounds to incorrectly spell the surname, then it could actually have been Calwell.

[fifer1947]

I can't remember the actual words but "goodbye" originated from a phrase such as this:  God go with thee

True - it was from God Be With You

[Redroger]

I was once totally sceptical until I had the following experience back in the 1970s. During a period of displacement at work due to redundancy I was used as a census taker on local train services. One November evening I was working on the 5.10p.m train from Boston to Doncaster, this train was usually almost empty between Boston and Sleaford and then became very busy from there to Lincoln, after which it emptied again. At Heckington a man in dark clothing joined the train by the front passenger door and turned left into the first class compartment. I called to the guard that I would visit him, and if he needed a ticket would tell the guard. The door to the compartment was in my view all the time, as was the only other exit from the first class section, into the driver's compartment, this door was locked. I entered the compartment asked to see the passenger's ticket, and was amazed and shaken to find the compartment empty. I have never had a satisfactory reason for this, and it set me wondering. I now believe that obviously not every phenomenon is known to or explanable by modern science, perhaps some things never will be.

[cathaldus]

Despite the fact that everyone is sceptical (as indeed I am!) - this thread had certainly stimulated a few follicles!

Bill

[Redroger]

Maybe because we're not as sure of ourselves as we like to think.

[GPS Hella]

True, it is not proven, yet, but that is one of the things we also include in our research. You've got to start somewhere.

Real paranormal research doesn't just mean investigating a location, explaining things with natural or paranormal causes and then just leave it. Our way of research also contains collecting investigation reports, compare results etc. which could possibly lead to answers but also to more questions. Should we not be able to find an answer, we send off the material to different experts (universities, study centers etc).

I have not been a sceptic to the unexplainable for the last decade.  

I too have searched but haven't been able to find any information online, which is not such a bad thing as there are more hidden documents in the archives than the few that are indexed and available online.   Knowing that dialects can have an effect on spelling I also searched quite a few archives using a proliferation of wildcards and keywords.  If Nathaniel Colwell were Irish for example and used phonetic sounds to incorrectly spell the surname, then it could actually have been Calwell.

It could be... but so far I didn't even find a Nathan, yet. There were several Jonathan's, but none of their surnames was close enough to say it could have been him.

My time for writing the research report is running out, mainly because any findings would be a personal confirmation for the medium, but we cannot take them as a proof that would be recognized as such.

 It seems to be almost impossible to find anything online (didn't get a chance to check out all the links yet). I hope that I will get a reply from the Devon Records Office soon.

I now believe that obviously not every phenomenon is known to or explanable by modern science, perhaps some things never will be.

I absolutely agree with you.

Technology and techniques are permanently improving, so who knows, maybe we will be able to answer a few questions in the future. But until then every little helps. The technically more skilled teams are permanently working on the development of new equipment, scientists are making new discoveries every day... so who knows what comes next.

Your experience sounds familiar to me. I've read several reports before, that were just like yours. It could be, that you might have turned around for a few seconds, enough time maybe for the man to go somewhere else. But I wasn't there, so I can't say, can I?

What is for sure is, that there are definitely more things between heaven and earth, than we know about.

[Redroger]

I thought of that, but it was impossible. The first class compartment had a door visib le the length of the railcar which he had to open to go into, then close. It was in my view the whole time, he did not have time to open and close the door again, had he done so I would have tripped over him. The railcar was of a type that was 63ft 5inches in length. I was sitting some 30 feet from the door he opened.