phonetic alphabet
the international phonetic alphabet (spelling alphabet), used in police, military, emergency services, aviation and general communications - and cockney alphabet (for fun)
The phonetic language - also known as the 'spelling alphabet' or the NATO phonetic alphabet - is used by professional communicators, especially police, military and other emergency and armed forces, to identify letters precisely, either when communicating initials, abbreviations or spellings of words.
The NATO phonetic spelling alphabet is a useful reference for language and communications study and training.
Different variations of the phonetic language exist - this is the original major standard and still most widely used.
The phonetic alphabet used for confirming spelling and words is quite different and far more complicated to the phonetic alphabet used to confirm pronunciation and word sounds, used by used by linguists, speech therapists, and language teachers, etc.
Commonly when used professionally in relaying abbreviations or letter codes, such as registrations, for example by the military, emergency services or in air traffic control, the letters themselves are not given and only the corresponding words are stated, for example a registration or call-sign of GTW would be stated at simply as 'Golf Tango Whisky'.
In less formal use, for example by customer service telephone staff, communications tend to give the letters and to clarify each with the corresponding alphabet words, for example, 'G, Golf; T, Tango; W, Whisky', or alternatively, 'GTW, Golf Tango Whisky.'
phonetic spelling alphabet
Used by communicators around the world to clarify letters and spellings.
- A - alpha
- B - bravo
- C - charlie
- D - delta
- E - echo
- F - foxtrot
- G - golf
- H - hotel
- I - india
- J - juliet
- K - kilo
- L - lima
- M - mike
- N - november
- O - oscar
- P - papa
- Q - quebec
- R - romeo
- S - sierra
- T - tango
- U - uniform
- V - victor
- W - whisky
- X - x-ray
- Y - yankee
- Z - zulu
I repeat that other versions of phonetic spelling alphabets exist. The NATO alphabet above is the original and most widely used.
It was originally developed by the International Civil Aviation Organization and subsequently adopted by NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) among other significant global and national bodies covering telecommunications, maritime, and aviation.
cockney alphabet
For amusement only. Not used by any important global standards organisations.
And certainly not recommended for use in confirming spellings, letters or words - it only confuses people.
Again there are different versions of this. Its origins are uncertain, most probably evolving organically in Cockney London in the late 1800s or early 1900s.
The alphabet is based on a child-like alphabet (A for Apple, etc), replacing the correct words to form puns. Typically the alphabet would be spoken or written with dropped first-letters wherever appropriate, as in 'ay for 'orses.
- A for horses (hay for horses)
- B for mutton (beef or mutton)
- C for miles (see for miles, although 'Seaforth Highlanders', an old Sottish regiment, was an early popular alternative)
- D for dumb (deaf or dumb - ironically a correct word for the letter D)
- E for brick (heave a brick)
- F for vescence (effervescence)
- G for police (chief of police)
- H for retirement (age for retirement)
- I for an eye (eye for an eye)
- J for oranges (Jaffa oranges)
- K for restaurant (cafe or restaurant)
- L for leather (hell for leather)
- M for sis (emphasis)
- N for lope (envelope)
- O for the wings of a dove (a song)
- P for relief (pee - urinate - for relief)
- Q for a bus (queue for a bus)
- R for bitter (half a bitter - beer)
- S for you (as for you)
- T for two (tea for two)
- U for me (you for me)
- V for la France (Vive la France)
- W for a quid (double you a quid - a pound - a gambling term)
- X for breakfast (eggs for breakfast)
- Y for husband (wife or husband)
- Z for breezes (zephyr breezes)
As I say, there are various versions of this.
Here are some variations:
- D for mation (defamation)
- I for a beautiful girl (eye for a beautiful girl)
- M for plums (Emva plums)
- N for mation (information)
- P for a penny (pee for a penny)
- Q for a pee (queue for a pee)
- R for mo (half a mo')
- S for Costello (Esther Costello - a 1957 film - or more recently S for Rantzen)
- Z for the sake of effect (said for the sake of effect)
If you have other memories (thanks M Baker for above variations) - pre-1960s or more recent - please send them.
Related links:
- NATO Phonetic (SPELLING) Alphabet on Wikipedia, used to confirm spelling and words.
- Phonetic (WORD SOUNDS) Alphabet on Wikipedia, used by used by linguists, speech therapists, and language teachers, etc., to show pronunciation.
see also
- acronyms - amusing, memorable clever - for teaching, training, public speaking, etc
- amusing and fascinating origins of words, expressions and cliches
- money slang and money history (UK)
- word-play puzzles and games for quizzes and exercises
- Greek alphabet - surprisingly relevant to all sorts of things
- cockney rhyming slang - amusing, and fascinating
search businessballs website
browse categories
|
|
The use of this material is free provided copyright (see below) is acknowledged and reference or link is made to the www.businessballs.com website. This material may not be sold, or published in any form. Disclaimer: Reliance on information, material, advice, or other linked or recommended resources, received from Alan Chapman, shall be at your sole risk, and Alan Chapman assumes no responsibility for any errors, omissions, or damages arising. Users of this website are encouraged to confirm information received with other sources, and to seek local qualified advice if embarking on any actions that could carry personal or organisational liabilities. Managing people and relationships are sensitive activities; the free material and advice available via this website do not provide all necessary safeguards and checks. Please retain this notice on all copies.
© alan chapman 2001-2009