My kiddos asked me the other week where “mayday” came from, and I finally remembered to look. I ought to have posted this one on May 1st, May Day (ha . . . ha . . . ha . . .) but didn’t think to.
Mayday, according to “The Wireless Age” from June 1923, is an aviator distress call. It was agreed that just saying the letters SOS wouldn’t do–that was the agreed upon message for telegraph, but it didn’t translate so well to spoken words. The powers that be also decided a simple “Help!” wouldn’t do. So they chose “May Day,” thinking it particularly fitting because it sounds so similar to the French m’aidez (help me).
It has since translated to any radio communication of help, be it in airplanes or boats or whatever.
I hope all you mothers out there enjoyed a wonderful Mother’s Day yesterday, and that those of you who aren’t mothers had a great day with yours. =) We had a really awesome day around here–breakfast in bed, a Xoe-made story, and even a tea party. Better yet, no fighting between the kids–woot! LOL
Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award winning author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary.
I knew what the word Mayday meant, but not it's history. You've taught me something new today! Got to love learning through blogging.
Glad your Mother's Day was nice – mine too! 🙂 Interesting of course, as usual 🙂
So glad you enjoyed your day! It sounds like it was relaxing and fun.
Thank you for posting. I have wondered what it meant too, but have just never remembered to look it up!