avatarChrista Kiesling

Summarize

Dots and Dashes

Eight Reasons Why Morse Code Is the Best Foreign Language

And why you should learn it too

Photo by Chris Curry on Unsplash

As seen in the movie Independence Day, Morse code is the one foreign language alien life cannot crack.

Want to one-up the aliens?

Prepare for a future invasion?

If so, let’s dive into this hidden gem that can't be found on Duolingo.

1. Embrace your inner spy

Picture this. You’re inevitably mistaken for a powerful ex-mob boss and kidnapped by the mafia.

Two strong men, Mario and Luigi, drag you into their top-secret facility with cliché poor lighting — you would think the Mafia would have enough money to invest in some quality LEDs, but you take it as part of the intimidation tactic and move on.

As you sit in silence in your chair from the 1800s, you hear the click-clack of steel boots hitting the concrete. Emerging out of the darkness is the leader of the mafia himself! You know now that you have seen his face there is no turning you loose — there is only one option.

You ever so subtly, straining your wrist on the duct tape restraints, do a little tap-tap-tap, tap. tap. tap., tap-tap-tap on the wooden leg of your chair. To this, Mafia Man stops in his tracks and perks up an ear. You see him turn to Luigi and nod. With that, Luigi lowers his revolver.

You are no longer a helpless hostage but now a valuable asset, a key player, the mafia morse code translator, if you will.

It is best to prepare for your calling now so you will be ready when the mafia comes morse code knocking on your door — or kicking it down like they do in the movies.

2. Flex on your friends

Everyone has a party trick — let’s skip the boring basics. No longer will people be impressed by Rubix cube solving, touching the tip of your nose with your tongue, cartwheels, flips, and splits. Watch their jaws drop as you translate seemingly meaningless dots and dashes into words on a page! You will go from zero to morse code hero.

3. Easy to learn

Only two characters —

dash and dot

dit and dah

26 letters to start — I think you know those.

Morse code A through Z took me only 3 hours to memorize but has resulted in endless dot-dash entertainment.

4. Morse code is set up with efficiency in mind

For all you lazy college students or office workers out there, you will be delighted to know that the most common letter of the alphabet — “e” — has the shortest code. Being all three — lazy, a college student, and an office worker I’m glad Friedrich Gerke had my back when he simplified Morse code.

5. Morse code vibrations

Here’s a quick life hack — you will be able to set your phone vibrations to spell out your contact's names. This way you will always know who is texting without checking your phone, or who to ignore without looking.

6. Find your real besties for the resties

See who your true friends are through your new exhilarating hobby. Only those who are willing to take the time to decipher your 500-character Morse code essays are worth considering keeping around.

7. Hide your messages from snooping eyes

Sitting in a crowded coffee shop, classroom, or communal transportation vehicle? Need to jot down an embarrassing note, finish your love letter, or secret scientific formula? Not a problem when using Morse code. The general public is oblivious to the true meaning of your seemingly meaningless scribbles of lines and dots. They might just believe you are a starving artist trying to navigate your way in abstract art.

8. There are no limits

Morse code doesn’t judge. You can communicate over long distances by paper and pencil, over short distances via sound, and even in the dark.

So whether you are on a train or on a plane or in a box with a fox you will be able to use your magnificent Morse code skills — Dr. Seuss, probably.

… ___ …

Brand art by David Todd McCarty
Foreign Language
Humor
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Learning
Mafia
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