One of the oddities of the English language is that an
unspoken letter can wield tremendous power.
Such is the case of “Oh” versus “O.”
You see, “O” is used to show that someone is being spoken to
directly. Today this is used almost exclusively in formal contexts.
“Oh,” on the other hand, is an interjection that can express
anything from a topic change
to surprise
to disappointment.
Once upon a time, spelling anything in English was a largely arbitrary endeavor, and
historical examples of a vocative “Oh” exist. However, until I invent a time
machine, I’ll keep cringing when I see the two words confused.
This is especially true in venues of worship.
The polite way to invoke one’s deity uses “O.”
By contrast, the only justification for “Oh my God” in a
praise song involves using the first word as an interjection of dismay.
In sum:
“O God!” =
appropriate when calling upon one’s deity.
“Oh, God!” = appropriate when 1. Complaining to one’s deity
about said praise song 2.Taking the name
of one’s deity in vain*
*which is actually never appropriate. Shame on you.
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