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SOS    
09/24/08

 

What is the origin of this acronym?

The abbreviation  SOS  comes from a distress signal represented by the Morse code   (· · · — — — · · · ), in  the early 1900s.

It was a telegraphic signal used by ships announcing trouble, danger or adversity. It was first adopted by the German government in 1905 and became part of the International Radiotelegraphic Convention in 1906.

This continuos sequence of signs (three-dits/three-dashes/three-dits), without  spacing, was selected for being easily recognizable and easy to hear even in a noisy environment. 

Now - why do we know it as SOS?

Because in International Morse code, three dots (or "dits", as they're called in Morse) form the letter S, and three dashes make the letter O.

In popular usage, the letters have been associated to the phrases "Save Our Ship" and "Save Our Souls".  

 

Listen to the SOS Morse code:

  · · · — — — · · ·

 

 

 

 

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