2006-12-07 15:15:14 · 31 answers · asked by Nancy J 1 in Education & Reference ➔ Quotations
Save Our Ship
EDIT:
Actually, according to wiki it can stand for a myriad of things:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Search?search=S+O+S&ei=UTF-8&fr=ks-ans&ico-yahoo-search-value=http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=ApCyeVs7DeQlVl.K.jMIrigazKIX/SIG=111gjvvgj/*-http://search.yahoo.com/search&ico-wikipedia-search-value=http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=AmCwzoiqTmUejBmNlrqgkYEazKIX/SIG=11ia1qo58/**http%3a//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special%3aSearch&p=S+O+S
Save Our Ship is not on that list.
However THIS wiki says it's a "distress call":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SOS
Interesting results in Yahoo! Search for " S O S ":
http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=A0oGkk4U6HhFMCAB7HRXNyoA?p=S+O+S+&prssweb=Search&ei=UTF-8&fr=ks-ans&x=wrt&meta=vl%3Dlang_en&_adv_prop=web
Interesting results from Google, too:
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2005-18,GGLD:en&q=S+O+S
2006-12-07 15:16:20 · answer #1 · answered by x_southernbelle 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
SOS is not an abbreviation. It is a distress call.
From Webster's Unabridged Dictionary:
1. the letters represented by the radio telegraphic signal (... --- ...) used, esp. by ship in distress, as an internationally recognized call for help. -n. 2. any call for help.
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From WordOrigins:
The international Morse code distress signal, S.O.S., is another "word" with a false acronymic origin. S.O.S. does not stand for Save Our Souls, Save Our Ship, Stop Other Signals, Sure Of Sinking, or any other phrase.
S.O.S. was chosen as the universal distress signal by the International Radio Telegraph Convention of July 1908 because this combination of three dots followed by three dashes followed by three dots (...---...), was easy to send and easily recognized, especially since they were usually sent as a nine-character signal, which stood out against the background of three-character Morse Code letters. The letters themselves are meaningless.
The first recorded mention of the false acronymic origin is in reference to the Titanic sinking of 1912, which may account for its wide spread and endurance.
Prior to 1908, the high seas distress signal consisted of the letters C.Q.D., which many took it to mean Come Quickly, Danger. Actually this term is a combination of the letters C & Q, the standard radio hail meaning essentially "calling all stations" or "is anyone out there?" and the nonsense letter D. Some suppose that the D stands for distress, but this is not documented. Use of C.Q.D. continued past 1908, and the Titanic's initial distress calls used this older signal. It was not until that ship was near sinking did the radiomen send out the new signal.
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As an aside, I've heard that SOS is similar to a French word meaning help, but I cannot verify that at this time.
2006-12-07 18:35:33 · answer #2 · answered by Kirby 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
SOS stands for "Save Our Souls."
2006-12-07 15:19:24 · answer #3 · answered by Allahu_Akbar 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Reality of it SOS doesn't stand for anything it was just a code for help made up becuase it worked well on telegraphs later people went in and filled in the acronyms "Save our Souls or Save our Ship"
2006-12-07 15:17:13 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
SOS stands for "Some One Special"
:)
2006-12-07 17:38:41 · answer #5 · answered by m. z. 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Save Our Souls
2006-12-07 15:16:12 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Save Our Souls
2006-12-07 15:16:10 · answer #7 · answered by Agnon L 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Save Our Ship
2006-12-07 15:16:54 · answer #8 · answered by AL 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Save our Ship
Save our Soul
2006-12-07 16:14:39 · answer #9 · answered by MA A 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Save Our Soul
2006-12-07 15:16:08 · answer #10 · answered by bugi 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Save Our Souls
2006-12-07 15:16:30 · answer #11 · answered by coldilocks 3 · 0⤊ 3⤋