# Mayday **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 22, 2006, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayday/361715 "2006-06-22T14:28:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tumbleweed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@tumbleweed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleweed)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2006, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayday/361715/1 "2006-06-22T14:28:01Z")
O Great Guru Of Wisdom, \> I am baffled by MAYDAY. \> I know when we are in trouble we sent out an S O S But if theres a radio \>there we call Mayday.Where does the term come from and why does it mean \>distaster? Has there been some GREAT distaster in May that we should know \>about that brought this about? \> Thanks kkaybill ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2006, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayday/361715/2 "2006-06-22T14:29:19Z")
It’s the English equivalent of the French “M’aidez” which means “HELP ME!” ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2006, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayday/361715/3 "2006-06-22T14:48:42Z")
It’s a general question, so moved. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2006, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayday/361715/4 "2006-06-22T15:18:29Z")
The explanation from **Annie-Xmas** is supported by the Random House [Word Maven: Mayday](http://www.randomhouse.com/wotd/index.pperl?date=19971202) and The Word Detective [on Mayday](http://www.word-detective.com/back-n.html#mayhem). As noted in the Word Detective article, S O S was picked for its easily remembered and recognized pattern, _dot dot dot dash dash dash dot dot dot_, not for any later-assigned acronym. ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2006, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayday/361715/5 "2006-06-22T15:55:19Z")
[QUOTE=tomndebb] The explanation from **Annie-Xmas** is supported by the Random House [Word Maven: Mayday](http://www.randomhouse.com/wotd/index.pperl?date=19971202) and The Word Detective [on Mayday](http://www.word-detective.com/back-n.html#mayhem). [/QUOTE] It seems unlikely, given that the French for “Help me” would be “Aidez-moi”. It’s possible that the order of verbs and object pronouns in French was different a couple hundred years ago, but I’ve never heard that that’s the case. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2006, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayday/361715/6 "2006-06-22T16:09:23Z")
Perhaps it’s “m’aider” (which is pronounced the same as “m’aidez”), as a shorter form of “Venez m’aider”, i.e., “Come and help me”. ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2006, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayday/361715/7 "2006-06-22T16:13:52Z")
[QUOTE=Giles] Perhaps it’s “m’aider” (which is pronounced the same as “m’aidez”), as a shorter form of “Venez m’aider”, i.e., “Come and help me”. [/QUOTE] > [@etymonline](#): > > “distress call,” 1927, from Fr. m’aider, shortening of venez m’aider “come help me!” That’s more plausible, and etymonline agrees with it. ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2006, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayday/361715/8 "2006-06-22T22:20:07Z")
Aha! I have always had doubts about the “m’aidez” idea but this version makes sense. Good SDMB. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2006, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayday/361715/9 "2006-06-22T23:00:53Z")
Aside: The prosign SOS (no spaces) is correctly described for audio transmission as _didididahdahdahdididit_. ---
**Author:** ![generica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c4cdca/32.png) [@generica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/generica)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2006, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayday/361715/10 "2006-06-23T03:41:00Z")
I’m not sure there’s anything that doesn’t remind me of a Red Dwarf quote. “Why d’you say ‘Mayday?’ It’s only a Bank Holiday. Why not ‘Shrove Tuesday’ or ‘Ascension Sunday?’ Ascension Sunday! Ascension Sunday! The fifteenth Wednesday after Pentecost! The fifteenth Wednesday after Pentecost!” (Sorry, I’ll stop geeking out now. We now return to your normal and helpful question answering.)