by The origins of ASAP feature both a reform minded dental hygienist, and a military conflict often called: the forgotten war.
ASAP is one of the best known acronyms. Standing for, ‘As Soon as Possible’, its call to urgency is clear.
The term is most commonly used in a business environment.
When I began working in corporate offices, twenty years ago, it was in frequent use. And often effective: anything marked ASAP, you would address straight away.
To some people, the phrase defines something about the modern world.
Because of the new nature of modern work — and modern life — none of us is comfortable waiting for anything anymore. We live in an ASAP world.
Julio Vincent Gambuto, ‘Medium’
So it is perhaps unsurprising that the term itself is modern, with a history stretching back just over 100 years. Although its origin story is surprising.
The first recorded use of ASAP is in article from 1920, with the unlikely title ‘The Practical Application of the Dental Hygienist in General Practice’. Published in ‘Oral Hygiene’ magazine, the author was dentist Walter E. Fancher.
Fancher is a significant figure in the history of dentistry, which in this era was undergoing rapid change.
Prior to the 20th century, dentistry had been largely unregulated, and many dentists self-taught. There were no industry standards, and finding a reputable, safe dentist had largely been a matter of luck.
Dentistry began to modernise after 1900. Western countries began to introduce formal training, with recognised qualifications.
Another innovation was the dental hygienist. Where a general dentist performed surgeries and other procedures, a hygienist concentrated on preventative care, including cleaning and maintenance.
In 1913, Dr. Alfred C. Fones established the first dental hygiene school in Bridgeport, Connecticut; the first licensed hygienist graduated from there four years later.
Walter Fancher became qualified in this initial wave, and went into private practice in New York. A progressive practitioner committed to improving the industry, he was elected President of the Ninth District Dental Association in 1919.
A year later he published his article, sharing tips for working effectively as a hygienist.
Along with his advice on dentistry, Fancher gave his views on running an efficient office. Included in the article was a list of acronyms, he suggested for streamlining office communications.
One of these was ASAP, used to denotes something urgent. Fancher also listed ASAC, ‘As Soon as Convenient’, for something important but of a lower priority.
Fancher continued to work in New York over the next two decades, his primary practice located at 272 South Broadway in Yonkers. In 1937, he received his local dental association’s Medal of Honor, and two years later was elected a Fellow of the American College of Dentists.
Despite Fancher’s efforts, ASAP did not enter mainstream use at this time. It retreated into the margins, and would not reappear until after World War II.
One of the outcomes of World War II was the division of the Korean Peninsula. In the north, the local Communists assumed control, with backing from Russia and China; in the south, a democratic regime was established, with backing from the United States and its allies.
The juxtaposition of these two ideologies would lead to conflict: the two sides would go to war in June 1950, when the north invaded the south. This was to be a proxy conflict, the first major showdown of the ‘Cold War’.
The Korean War would see fierce fighting, and dramatic shifts of momentum.
Early in the war, the Communist forces advanced rapidly, and the southern government had to retreat to Pusan. A coalition of western forces, under US leadership, would then rally, and drive the Communists back to the border with China.
After three years, the war ended in stalemate, with the country divided at the 38th parallel; this division is still in place today. Between 3 – 4 million people, mostly civilians, lost their lives.
One of the first books written about the Korean War, was Annis G. Thompson’s ‘The Greatest Airlift: The Story of Combat Cargo’, published in 1954. Thompson was an Air Force captain turned military historian, his book detailed the logistical challenges of the conflict.
Thompson utilised military terminology and slang, to help tell the story. Among the terms in the book was ASAP, which was used by the Air Force to denote urgent resupply missions, and emergency requests.
Etymologists believe that the term evolved in the military independent of Fancher’s earlier use. Most likely, it came into being during World War II, as the military rapidly modernised.
A faster, more technologically advanced military required new terminology to describe its operations.
A host of this new military language came into use during the 1940s and 50s. As well as ASAP, Thompson’s book also includes ‘no sweat’, indicating something straightforward, and ‘going mental’, indicating soldiers who had lost their nerve.
Both of these would also find their way into civilian life.
The Korean War was heavily covered in the press at the time, which helped popularise military terms with the public. Veterans would also bring this language back with them, when they returned home.
Approximately 1.8 million foreign soldiers fought on the South Korean side, including personnel from the United Kingdom, Canada, Turkey, Australia and southeast Asia.
While the conflict would eventually recede in public memory to the point where it is sometimes called, ‘the forgotten war’, it left a lasting impact on the language. ASAP, and other common military terms, became widely used throughout the western world.
The use of ASAP became even more widespread post-war, as businesses modernised. Increased use of digital technology in the 1970s and 80s provided a world where things really could be done instantly; as productivity increased, having a way to prioritise work became a necessity.
ASAP was a quick way to communicate what tasks were important. But its simplicity also lead to its overuse.
In the 21st century, the term is in decline again. A study of business communications by Forbe’s magazine found ‘ASAP’ viewed negatively by most respondents; many people now find it rude, or aggressive.
Reflecting its military roots, ‘Grammerly.com’ likens it to, ‘a drill sergeant barking orders’.
Contemporary offices often now utilise more precise deadlines. ASAP has been supplanted by COB, or EOW.
The origins of those acronyms? That’s a story, for another time.
