The wording and humour of England expects

What was Nelson's famous flag signal before Trafalgar?

England expects that every man will do his duty.

Most words in the message had flag combinations in the signal vocabulary, while duty required spelling out. Expects also saved the longer process required for confides. The message is interpreted as having humour alongside its serious appeal to duty. Nelson's telescope gesture at Copenhagen supplies a comparison: a joke could reassure sailors who trusted their admiral while maintaining determination in battle.