The Difference between "Alright" and "All Right"

As a child when asked how I was my reply of choice was "Alright", meaning "OK", although I was encouraged to say "Very well, thank you" by some people. However, "Alright" suited me better. I think most people would describe their general state of being as "OK". Some things in life may be good or even great, but other things are generally less so. "Alright" covers this centre ground between the good and the less good, or bad.

"All Right" has differtent connotations altogether. "He's doing All Right" is generally taken to mean he's doing very well indeed. However, this expression can be taken to extremes. Wasn't there an aspirant US presidential candidate in the last elections who chanted "All Right" in a rather embarrassing fashion, only to get knocked out of the race. He had been doing "Alright" before, and then things went "pear-shaped" (an expression I'll cover in the future).

In the context of "I'm All Right Jack" (my previous blog), there is a further play on words. Not only is the hero of that film apt to do "All Right" for himself. His views are also "All Right", or he is always right (in his own opinion). The word play is highly relevant to the mores of "The Ruling Classes" just now. There is a strong tendency to view people who do "All Right" for themselves, (ie make alot of money) as somehow "All Right" in other respects.

This is a great mistake, particularly for political parties in receipt of large loans and donations.