signalese

English

Etymology

From signal +‎ -ese.

Noun

signalese (uncountable)

1. Words and abbreviations used by radio operators and other signalmen to clarify the letters being sent and received, such as the RAF phonetic alphabet.
   • 1967, Lawrence Wright, The Wooden Sword, page 164:

     The signalese for 'S/L' I could decipher, but the NMI defeated me, until I learned that it referred to the fact, an oddity to Americans, that I had 'No Middle Initial'.

   • 1990, Ken Bradstreet, Hellcats:

     The signal "dit-dah-dit- dit-dit" which, in signalese meant "wait", was heard a lot while we attempted to decipher what it was the operator on the other end

   • 2006, Ian Pfennigwerth, A Man of Intelligence: The Life of Captain Eric Nave, Australian Codebreaker, page 47:

     The commodore's staff prepares the necessary message using a standardised jargon used by the Navy, sometimes referred to as 'signalese'.

Anagrams

• Lasseigne, Singalese, agileness, angelises, ensilages, signalees