# Origin of Pan-pan call **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 27, 2004, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-pan-pan-call/247265 "2004-05-27T00:14:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cabdude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@cabdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cabdude)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2004, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-pan-pan-call/247265/1 "2004-05-27T00:14:18Z")
The international radio call for an urgency call (rather than an emergency call) is “pan-pan.” I seem to remember in my dim dark memory that it originated from the radio call “pancake,” as in an aircraft is about to imitate the action of one. I can’t seem to find a cite for it, so now I’m not so sure. Can anyone confirm or deny? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2004, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-pan-pan-call/247265/2 "2004-05-27T00:46:14Z")
According to [this site](http://www.ac6v.com/73.htm#pan): > [@](#): > > From the French word ‘panne’ --which roughly translates to breakdown. In radio telephony, the word PAN is repeated three times pronouncing it as the French word ‘panne’. > > F5NOD, Gil Gautier confirms "It’s correct ! French “Panne” means “breakdown” … or “out of service” or “out of order”. When you have a Car “Panne” you have to fixe it !! 😉 … ---
**Author:** ![peculiar\_hailstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/46a35a/32.png) [@peculiar\_hailstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peculiar_hailstone)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2004, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-pan-pan-call/247265/3 "2004-05-27T00:49:56Z")
…which goes right along with MAYDAY coming from the french “m’aider”, meaning help me. ---
**Author:** ![cabdude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@cabdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cabdude)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2004, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-pan-pan-call/247265/4 "2004-05-27T00:53:13Z")
Merci - that certainly makes a lot of sense. ‘Pancake’ may have been a code word meaning ‘clear to land’ ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Mondegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/91b2a8/32.png) [@Lord\_Mondegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Mondegreen)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2004, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-pan-pan-call/247265/5 "2004-05-27T05:21:03Z")
> [@peculiar hailstone](#): > > …which goes right along with MAYDAY coming from the french “m’aider”, meaning help me. It’s “m’aidez” isn’t it? (Then again, I always thought “pan” was short for “panic” - fortunately I never had to make either radio call.) ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2004, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-pan-pan-call/247265/6 "2004-05-27T07:45:32Z")
The phrase “pan, pan” is repeated 3 times rather than just the word “pan”. ---
**Author:** ![Sharky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@Sharky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sharky)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2004, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-pan-pan-call/247265/7 "2004-05-27T07:54:53Z")
Pronounced “Pahn-pahn”. 🆒 - Sharky USCG 100 Ton Master ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2004, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-pan-pan-call/247265/8 "2004-05-27T11:13:07Z")
Not here it’s not. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2004, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-pan-pan-call/247265/9 "2004-05-27T11:28:36Z")
> [@1920s Style "Death Ray"](#): > > Not here it’s not. That’s right, it’s pronounced ‘throat-warbler mangrove’. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2004, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-pan-pan-call/247265/10 "2004-05-27T11:49:27Z")
Ah, I see you’ve flown around here too. ---
**Author:** ![peculiar\_hailstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/46a35a/32.png) [@peculiar\_hailstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peculiar_hailstone)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2004, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-pan-pan-call/247265/11 "2004-05-27T16:42:48Z")
> [@Lord Mondegreen](#): > > It’s “m’aidez” isn’t it? > > (Then again, I always thought “pan” was short for “panic” - fortunately I never had to make either radio call.) Sorry. My French is atrocious. But, when I googled it, there were almost as many hits on m’aider mayday as there were for m’aidez mayday. 😉