Buzz
It's known as a distress signal, but what does 'SOS' truly stand for? Many mistakenly believe it represents 'Save Our Souls' or 'Save Our Ship.' These are, however, backronyms. The letters themselves don't stand for anything specific.
Interestingly, the signal wasn't even intended to be three separate letters. It's simply a continuous string of three dots, three dashes, and three dots (…---…), all strung together without spaces or punctuation. In International Morse Code, three dots form the letter 'S' and three dashes form an 'O', which is why the signal became associated with 'SOS' for convenience. Over time, these letters have become a standalone distress symbol, sometimes spelled out on the ground to be seen from the sky by those in need of rescue.
If you wanted, you could break down the string into Morse code equivalents like IJS, SMB, or VTB.
The reasoning behind 'SOS'.
Why choose that particular sequence of dots and dashes if it doesn’t have a direct meaning? Because it was the most effective solution.
A distress message from the 'Titanic,' sent using Marconi's preferred 'CQD' signal, now held in Oxford University's Bodleian Library. | VCG Wilson/Corbis via Getty Images.As wireless radiotelegraph machines were introduced on ships in the early 20th century, sailors facing peril required a distinct way to capture attention, signal distress, and call for help. They needed a clear, fast signal that would not be mistaken for other communications. Initially, various organizations and nations had their own designated distress signals. The U.S. Navy, for example, used 'NC,' the maritime flag distress signal from the International Code of Signals. The Marconi Company, which provided telegraph equipment and operators to ships, utilized 'CQD.' Meanwhile, the 'German Regulations for the Control of Spark Telegraphy' of 1905 mandated that all German operators use '…---…'.
Having multiple distress signals led to confusion and potential hazards. It created a language barrier for ships in distress in foreign waters, even when using International Morse Code. This issue, along with others, prompted various countries to meet and discuss creating international regulations for radiotelegraph communication. In 1906, the International Wireless Telegraph Convention was held in Berlin, where delegates sought to establish a standard distress signal. Marconi's '-.-.--.--..' and '………-..-..-..' ('SSSDDD'), which Italy had suggested earlier, were considered too complex. Germany's '…---…,' however, was simple to send and hard to misinterpret, so it was adopted as the international distress signal by the conference's participating nations, becoming effective on July 1, 1908.
Adopting 'SOS'.
A wireless room aboard a typical transatlantic passenger ship. | The Print Collector/Getty Images.The first recorded use of 'SOS' as a distress signal occurred in August 1909, just over a year after its adoption. The wireless operators on the SS Arapahoe sent out the signal when the ship was stranded due to a broken propeller off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.
Not everyone embraced the new standard right away. The Marconi Company, in particular, was hesitant to let go of 'CQD.' After the Titanic collided with an iceberg, the Marconi operators on board initially sent that signal. It wasn't until another operator suggested trying the new 'SOS' signal that they switched to it.
