Origins of "Mayday"

[Race 29]

Awhile back, some folks had asked where the word "Mayday" had come from. This was discussed a little bit last year in a different thread. I bought a book a few days ago titled "Contrary to popular belief" by Joey Green. Accoring to that book "Mayday" comes from the french word "M'aider" meaning "help me". Don't know if anyone would be interested, but I thought I'd post it!

Race 29

[mrcraigarcher]

Re: Origins of "Mayday"

Awhile back, some folks had asked where the word "Mayday" had come from. This was discussed a little bit last year in a different thread. I bought a book a few days ago titled "Contrary to popular belief" by Joey Green. Accoring to that book "Mayday" comes from the french word "M'aider" meaning "help me". Don't know if anyone would be interested, but I thought I'd post it!

Race 29

That's interesting, and pretty plausible. The french "M'aider" would be pronounced "Mayday".

[Lockheed Bob]

Re: Origins of "Mayday"

Maybe it started during WWI by French flyers. Interesting. Thanks for posting.

[Propellerhead]

Re: Origins of "Mayday"

Maybe it started during WWI by French flyers. Interesting. Thanks for posting.

I guess they'd have to yell pretty loudly from the cockpit (no radios).

[Lockheed Bob]

Re: Origins of "Mayday"

They yelled it out after they crash landed. Actually they were yelling for a glass of wine.

[Race 29]

Re: Origins of "Mayday"

That is all some funny stuff!!

Race 29

[JET1]

...actually...

..they were yelling "MY BEER" as in OMG I spilled my beer when I crashed, but a hard of hearing frenchman heard mayday...so he immediately dropped his rifle and ran to the cheese and wine store..and so it goes...

[Lockheed Bob]

Re: Origins of "Mayday"

Since I'm a depression kid I know how it all started but I never wanted to tell the story. In my day on May Day they had a May Day pole which we all swung around on & I remember the girl in front of me twirling around with her pants made from a flour sack & on the back it said "Not For Resale" naturally I laughed. She then said she did't care cause it was "May Day " & that's how it started.

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Origins of "Mayday"

Since I'm a depression kid

Boy I'll tell ya, I wasn't quite born yet by the Depression Era but I was raised by survivors of same... I'll tell ya, it was rough...

How rough? You ask?

Back then we were hungry, hungry all the time, matresses were made of straw.. one night, I drempt I was eating shreded wheat... when I woke up, half my brother's upper bunk was eaten....

Badaboom...chhhhhhhh (we need a rimshot smilie)



PS.. that was one of my Dad's favorite stupid "depression era jokes"... "Just give him a sandwich" was one of his favorite "sayings" He told me of being broke, walking on a strange street in a strange town and it was common for people to ask anyone if they had any work... He remembered one guy saying to his wife... "just give him a sandwich"

You guys who grew up in that era need to tell your stories! My dad told me a lot of them, I then have the experience of what it was like then but.. He's gone, some of you who were there will also be gone someday.. will you tell your story?

[Race 29]

Re: Origins of "Mayday"

I agree with Wayne! Being a CA state worker, gimme a sandwich!!!

Race 29

[tim]

Re: Origins of "Mayday"

A concise, perhaps accurate, piece where fine people of France are not maligned.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayday_%28distress_signal%29

That said, give the look of some of the prewar French, it's no wonder they spent a great deal of time shouting help me from their aircraft.