Ask Mike: Roger that
Hey Guys,
Ever wonder why people say “Roger” to indicate that they understood what you said? No? Tough, because I’m gonna tell you anyway.
The tradition has its roots in the military. Back in the days of World War II, Morse Code operators used the letter “R” to indicate that they received (get it?) the last message. “Roger” is simply the letter R’s voice code equivalent.
At least it was. “Roger” was part of the phonetic alphabet used by the U.S. military, but around 1956, things changed. These days, “R” is represented by “Romeo.” Similarly, “B” is now “bravo” instead of “baker,” “Z” is “zulu” instead of “zebra,” and so on. And even then, the words vary by region, country, and military branch.
Still, while “roger” is no longer the official phoentic word for “R,” it is still commonly used both in the military by civilians to let a person know that you are totally clued into whatever they just said. Copy?
Thanks for reading,
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
- Rating:
(39 votes, average: 4.41) - Permalink
- Comments (36)
Loading ...
Subscribe
It is a old fashioned way of saying okay
Roger that 10-4.
ya it makes no sense
Romeo that. Over.
Well, now I know what it will mean for when I join the Air Force.
Roger.
Interesting read…
Well, when i play counter-strike, i instruct them to stick together. players also say- Roger that!
It’s kind of like in the movie Airplane when Leslie Neilson’s says back to the other person..’Of course i’m serious and don’t call me Shirley!”
Using the term “Roger That” is improper radio-telephone procedure and is construed as disrespectful.
When you initiate the contact you will say “over” to let the receiver know you are finished and require a response. The proper response is “Roger Over”. This continues until the initiator of the original dialogue says Roger Out. There is one exception, and that is when the originator wants something done, or he gives an order. The receiver can say “Roger Wilco” or simply “Wilco” and that may end the conversation. Wilco stands for will comply. The phonetic alphabet went international in 1956. Certain words could not be pronounced by all well enough to be understood over the radio. In the mid seventies I would call my Platoon Sergeant and ask him “How Copy”? He would respond Lick’n Chicken Ho Chi Min”. Which stood for Loud and Clear How Copy Me? I still say that some time when people ask me how I copy? Rest in Peace Good Sergeant!
ROGER is an acronym and stands for Right Order Given Expect Results and is simply the term used to convey the message that you have understood the message and will implement any actions required.
hey, what is SWAG and SNAFU?
SWAG – Scientific Wild-Ass Guess
Snafu – In reply to a request for an estimate of the
situation the reply was ” Situation Normal — All F***ked
UP ! ! !
SwAG = Sophisticated Wild Ass Guess
SNAFU = Situaton Normal All F—-d Up (original version)
SNAFU = Situation Normal All Fouled Up (CLEAN version)
JANFU = Joint Army Navy F— Up
Also, some PDs use a different Phonetic Alphabet than that used by the DOD; For example, LAPD uses
Adam Boy Charles David Edward Frank…etc., instead of Alfa Bravo Charlie Delta Echo Foxtrot…etc. See Wikipedia for the whole list.
SNAFU means Situation Normal All F’d Up.
I love the word Roger.
In the previously used US spelling alphabet, R was Roger, which in radio voice procedure means”Received”.In the US military, it is common to reply to another’s assertion with”Roger that”, meaning: “I agree”
@Michael Moore: Situation Normal, All F’d Up.
Capisce.
Not sure about SWAG, but SNAFU is “Situation Normal, All Fouled Up” (although instead of “fouled”, another f-word is used, but I can’t repeat it here).
“Do we have clearance, Clarence?
“Roger, Roger. What’s our vector, Victor?”
Airplane! 1979
You can’t forget about “WILCO” which means Will Comply. Roger Wilco
and who framed Roger Rabbit, for goodnes sake?!!
It is obvious what generation wrote the comments on this question today, LOL. Nobody from the 1960s! There was a TV show called Combat! that was about WWII and a combat unit, 2nd platoon king company, that when they were done talking over the radio, said”roger willco, over and out.” “Willco” means I will comply.
My generation still thinks of this when they hear some say “roger that.”
If you have any doubt about the power of TV, 1960 was how many years ago? 52!
I can still sing the Nestles commercial, too.
Standard radio procedure still in use worldwide:
Roger – received and understood
Out – finished the conversation, not expecting a reply
Over – finished talking, awaiting a reply. On a simplex set, you can’t interrupt, the other guy has to stop transmitting in order to listen.
Wilco – will comply (military usage)
Say Again – I didn’t catch that
(Repeat – send more shells on the same target)
These are never combined, except by Hollywood and idiots
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Procedure_word#Roger.2C_Received.2C_Romeo.2C_Copy
http://www.obsr.ca/radio-ric23.pdf
Copy that. Out.
Great Mike, interesting stuff. Why don’t you ask questions in yahoo?
Used by the RAF
Roger = Understood
Wilco = Will do
Out = End of Message/conversation. switching off
Sucks to have the name Roger……
Interesting!
Yaaay for ZULUs!! xD
-South Africa
xD
Interesting indeed
@Cloud: Would you be “Roger” with your friends talking to you the old fashioned way?
(pun intended, please don’t be offended)
Another place ‘Roger’ is used is on CB radios truck drivers use. I remember going to the theater in ’77 when I was a kid & watching ‘Smokie and The Bandit’ & it’s about a guy driving a semi and another guy driving a Trans Am. I grew up in the midwest & we knew what it meant as kids from our community of farmers & truck drivers.
funny ! :p aha
There are many other signs of long forgotten phonetic codes-ack ack guns comes from the code for A being ack. Many people like the police force still use Indigo rather than India for the code for I (really it makes little difference).
I thought Roger was french for saying 10-4 lol
Its in star trek and they use it in aeroplanes.