It’s one of the most widely-recognised signals in the world, but many people don’t realise the full meaning of the signal ‘SOS’.
The signal is now probably the only thing that most people know how to communicate in morse code.
Its simple formula of . . . – – – . . . which make up the letters SOS in the morse code alphabet is an easy message to understand.
The message’s formula is also simple to send in a variety of different mediums with or without technology.
For example, you could communicate it via a transmitter using tones to spell out the signal.
Or alternatively, you could use a light and flash it in the pattern of the signal as a way to get attention, or even blink it as in one chilling case.
The code was first adopted in 1908 when the International Radiotelegraph Convention passed a motion which suggested that ‘ships in distress shall use the following signal: . . . – – – . . . repeated at brief intervals’.
Prior to this, different countries would have different codes that indicated a distress signal such as the ‘CQD’ signal, as well as the ‘NC’.
But what exactly does ‘SOS’ stand for if not ‘Save Our Souls’ or ‘Save Our Ship’?
Well the answer is quite simply: nothing.
It wasn’t actually an acronym when it was proposed as a universal call for distress.
Of course, this begs the question of why those three letters in particular were chosen for the distress signal.
The answer is infuriatingly simple – it’s a very simple and easy signal to send out and understand in morse code.
When deciding which signal you want to use as the one to send out as a distress signal, it’s probably wise to make it one which is easy to remember and to interpret.
After all in what is likely a very stressful situation the last you’d want would be for a call for help to be overly convoluted.
It’s the same reason emergency numbers such as 911 in the US or 999 in the UK are easy to remember.
However, it took a while to catch on as many also sent the old ‘CQD’ as well, such Theodore D Haubner warning of SS Arapahoe’s distress or even the Titanic’s senior wireless operator sending both signals.
But this still doesn’t explain why people think SOS stands for ‘Save Our Souls’.
This is an example of a ‘backronym’, when an acronym is ascribed to a pre-existing word.
They’re often used humorously, for example: BING – ‘Because It’s Not Google’, DELTA – ‘Don’t Expect Luggage To Arrive’, and FORD – ‘Fix Or Repair Daily’.
H/t Unilad
