Semaphore Language Trivia Quiz

Answer: Specific flag placement beforehand tells them if it is numbers or letters

In explaining flag placement in the information in this quiz, I will indicate degrees, with zero degrees being straight down, and 180 degrees being straight up in the air. If letters follow in a transmission, the sender uses the letter "J" which is shared with the message "Letters to Follow".

In that case, the sender's right hand is straight up in the air at 180 degrees, and the left hand is held straight out at the shoulder, at a 90 degree angle to the body. If numerals are to follow, there is a flag placement for that that is not shared with any letter or number. To signal "Numerals", the sender holds the right arm straight up at 180 degrees, and the left arm up and out, at about 135 degrees (above the shoulder, but not touching the head).

Answer: C/3

The flag placement here is for the letter "C" or the number "3". The numbers 1-10 are all indicated by shared letters. "J" is the tenth letter of the alphabet, but since it also means "Letters to Follow", the number "10" is indicated with the same flag placement as the letter "K".

Answer: True

Semaphore flag placement can be a bit counterintuitive sometimes. When we write the letter "M", the shape has three downward points. However, when the "M" is signalled in semaphore, the sender's left arm is not down, but rather out at a 90 degree angle to the body. Their right arm is down at about 45 degrees to the body.

Answer: U

In this case, the flag placement is somewhat intuitive. With both flags held up like this, the placement does resemble a letter with two upward points. Don't get confused and think that this one is a "V", though. That letter has the sender's right arm straight up at 180 degrees, and their left arm below the shoulder at 45 degrees.

Answer: 8

Signalling the same letter this many times indicates to the receiver that the previous word or message that was sent was wrong and should be disregarded. Receivers must be on the lookout for this flag placement, but senders must also be very careful. If sending time is limited, repeating the error signal eight times over and over again is not a desired way to signal the message.

Answer: The flags are presented with the "Space" sign

The flag placement seen here indicates a "Space" in the transmission. It is used after words or sentences to let the receiver know how to decode differences in the meaning of some words. For example, without the "Space" signal, the following group of letters: "landernestedwardstopside" could be read as either "land Ernest Edwards topside" or "lander nested ward stop side". If the message is about an actual person, poor Ernest may not end up where he is supposed to be if the receiver decodes a message about a nest.

This sign can also mean "Rest".

Answer: T

The letter "T" appears as shown. The letter "H" is one of the cross-body flag placements. That one has the sender's right arm straight out to the right at 90 degrees, and the left arm placed across the body so that the flag appears on the right at 45 degrees (halfway between the flag right arm and the right leg).

The letter "L" has the sender hold the right flag at 45 degrees, and the left flag at 135 degrees. The letter R has both the right and the left flags held straight out at 90 degrees.

Answer: D/4

This letter/number combination gives a good example of the logic of the semaphore flag placement. The letter "A" has the sender hold the left flag straight down against the leg, right flag at a 45 degree angle below the shoulder. The letter "B" has the sender keep the left flag at the leg while moving the right flag up and even with the shoulder at 90 degrees.

The letter "C" is made by keeping the left flag against the leg and moving the right flag up to 135 degrees. Next is this one, the "D" where the left flag remains at the leg and the right flag is at 180 degrees.

The entire alphabet is quite a logical progression.

Answer: Cancel

The letter "L" has the mirror image of this flag placement, with the left arm up and the right arm down. However, when the flags are presented with the right arm up and the left arm down as in this photo, it means "Cancel", "Annul", or "Disregard Previous Transmission ".

Answer: Waves the flags up and down in quick succession

Waving the arms up and down is the method used to grab the attention of the receiver and to let them know that a message is about to start. This waving of flags up and down can also be used during a transmission to indicate an error on the part of the sender.