ShmoopTube

00:03

[Dino and Coop singing]

00:13

There are all sorts of ways to make coded messages: you could use a secret set of symbols… [Top secret folder opens to reveal symbols]

00:18

…or program some advanced cryptographic algorithms. [Laptop showing code]

00:21

Although that might be a lot of work if all you want to do is send your friend a secret

00:25

message that says: "I'm outside." [Phone shows the message]

00:26

Anyway, if you're not wild about algorithms, you could always make a sound code! [Boy hides from the nerdy looking kid behind the couch]

00:31

A sound coded message works almost exactly like a written coded message, but with one twist.

00:36

In written codes, we often use a chart where different symbols mean different letters. [Symbol chart]

00:40

Like instead of using the letter A, we might use a spiral.

00:43

And instead of using the letter B, we could use a triangle.

00:47

And so on and so forth.

00:48

The only difference with a sound coded message is that we use a bunch of sounds instead of [Record player]

00:52

a bunch of written symbols.

00:53

So instead of a triangle for B, we might use a snap. [Fingers click]

00:57

After all, it's awfully hard to imitate the sound of a triangle. [Someone playing a triangle]

01:01

They're generally very quiet and well behaved.

01:03

So let's see how this works in action!

01:05

We'll use this code as an example. [Sound code folder]

01:07

Let's say we wanted to say the word: "Iraq."

01:10

It has four different letters, so we'll need four different sounds. [Iraq is shown on a map]

01:13

When we consult our code, it says that the letter "I" is represented by a knock.

01:18

Pretty simple.

01:19

Moving along, "R" is the sound of "Vroom"…

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…"A" is a whistle…

01:24

…and "Q" is a hoot.

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So translated into our sound code, "Iraq" becomes: (Knock.) [Sound code is shown]

01:31

vroom, whistle, hoot.

01:34

It might sound kinda like gibberish, but anyone with the code will know exactly what you mean. [Boy looking confused while a girl with the code folder understands]

01:39

And with all that hooting, you might attract an owl or two, which is an added bonus. [An owl flies into the classroom]

01:43

We can even translate backwards, from sounds to text.

01:46

Say we heard: Woof boom boom. [Kid walking onto the school bus]

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Let's get out our chart and see what it means.

01:51

It turns out "Woof" means "Z," so that's our first letter.

01:55

"Boom" means "O"…

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…and since it happens twice, we've got two O's. [The code is shown]

01:59

So it turns out the sounds "Woof boom boom" mean: "Zoo." [The kids at the zoo]

02:02

And yeah, "Woof boom boom" does sound like a dog playing the drums. [A dog playing the drums at the zoo]

02:06

We were disappointed, too.

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