what does SOS stand for?

Answer 1

"SOS is the commonly used description for the International Morse code distress signal (· · · - - - · · · ) (

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). This distress signal was first adopted by the German government in radio regulations effective April 1, 1905, and became the worldwide standard when it was included in the second International Radiotelegraphic Convention, which was signed on November 3, 1906, and became effective on July 1, 1908.

From the beginning, the SOS distress signal has actually consisted of a continuous sequence of three-dots/three-dashes/three-dots, all run together without letter spacing. In International Morse Code, three dots form the letter S, and three dashes make the letter O, so "SOS" became an easy way to remember the correct order of the dots and dashes. In modern terminology, SOS is a "procedural signal" or "prosign", and the formal way to show that there are no internal spaces when it is sent is to write it with a bar above the letters, i.e. SOS.)

In popular usage, SOS became associated with phrases such as "Save Our Ship," "Save Our Souls," "Survivors On Ship," "Save Our Sailors" "Stop Other Signals" and "Send Out Sailors". However, these phrases were a later development, most likely used to help remember the correct letters- something known as a backronym. Other backronyms include Stuck On Site. In reality,the phrase was chosen arbitrarily for its ease of remembering and typing, much like the modern 9-1-1 emergency number."

Answer 2

Save Our Souls

Answer 3

Save Our Souls

Answer 4

SOS was developed in 1910, from International Morse code letters, chosen arbitrarily as being easy to transmit and difficult to mistake.

Not an acronym for "save our ship" or anything else. It won out over alternate suggestion C.Q.D., which is said to mean "come quickly, distress," or "CQ," general call for alerting other ships that a message follows, and "D" for danger.

SOS is the telegraphic distress signal only; the oral equivalent is mayday.

Answer 5

Originally, it didn't stand for anything. It was used as a distress call because it forms a short, regular pattern (... --- ...), and doesn't spell anything.
It has picked up a number of backronyms (acronyms applied after the fact), most recognizably Save Our Ship.

Answer 6

SOS=Save Our Souls

Answer 7

Originally these three letters were picked as emergency signal, because in the Morse (telegraph) alphabet they are easy to key and to recognize over the ether.
S.O.S. = ... --- ... (dot dot dot dash dash dash dot dot dot).
Later, people wanted to give a meaning to the letters and the one that says "Save Our Souls" stuck.
Today we have voice transmission and a new emergency signal is more commonly used over the radio: MAYDAY, which comes from the French "m'aider" = help me.

Answer 8

Generally thought to mean Save Our Ship it actually can be traced back to Save Our Souls

Answer 9

Save our Souls

Answer 10

Some One Special