The genius logic of the NATO phonetic alphabet

[Weaver]

The genius logic of the NATO phonetic alphabet by Youtube channel RobWords:

[scautomoton]

ha random, this popped up on Youtube earlier and I watched it too. Very interesting.

[perttime]

I used the "spelling alphabet" quite a lot during my "government temp jobs in interesting places", back in 1990s. I don't remember it being hard to learn. Actually... it was easier than the Finnish spelling alphabet mainly based on Finnish proper names. Now, the Finnish military, too, has gone for the NATO, ICAO, etc. English alphabet.

The video illustrates quite well, that a lot of thought went into developing the spelling alphabet.

[Weaver]

Due to the strange quirks of my brain, I'm terrible at remembering abstract, arbitary things like language vocab, but good at remembering "physical stuff", so the way I recall the "NATO" alphabet is to think of a class of Russian submarines with the same letter, because they all had NATO Phonetic Alphabet class designations.

So for instance, I don't link N with November directly in my brain, I go "what class of Russian sub started with N? November class, so N=November."

[Mossie]

.

I used the "spelling alphabet" quite a lot during my "government temp jobs in interesting places", back in 1990s. I don't remember it being hard to learn. Actually... it was easier than the Finnish spelling alphabet mainly based on Finnish proper names. Now, the Finnish military, too, has gone for the NATO, ICAO, etc. English alphabet.

The video illustrates quite well, that a lot of thought went into developing the spelling alphabet.

My Dad was a firefighter and taught it to me as a youngster.  I used it just yesterday when sorting out insurance (I was a little rusty but it quickly came back to me).  My wife uses it in her job as a travel agent. It's become surprisingly universal due to its effectiveness.

[Old Wombat]

Before I joined the RAN, at the age of 19, I was quite fluent in the WW2 English Phonetic/Spelling Alphabet (read enough books & it becomes ingrained).

In the RAN (See how I avoided a really 'orrible Village People song title there?  ) I learned the NATO/ICAO version.

Still fluent in NATO, can barely remember any of the English version.

[Mossie]

I picked up a few of the WWII alphabet simply from reading and watching stuff about aviation. Ack from ack-ack for anti-aircraft, S for Sugar due to the famous Lancaster, V from Vic for V formation etc.

M for Mother was another Lancaster related name that I erroneously thought was part of the alphabet.

[scooter]

Used it every day I was in the service and I still use it when I'm spelling something over the phone (like my name).  And what drives me up a wall is when I hear people using their own substitutions that make absolutely zero sense on the phone.

[PR19_Kit]

What irritates me is when I'm talking to some official body over the phone and I need to spell my name, they ALWAYS repeat it back in the OPPOSITE way to that which I spell it! 

If I say 'Sierra Papa Alpha Charlie.......' etc they come back with 'Is that Es, Pee, Ay, Cee.......?'!!!!

And If I start off doing it alphabetically, they come back in NATO Speak! It's all to try and be-little me of course.

NO WAY, non-one EVER does that!

[Old Wombat]

Really bugger 'em up, Kit, & go "Sierra-Pee-Alfa-Cee-Kilo-Emm-Alfa-Enn", or vice-versa.   

[Rheged]

Outside our family, we stck rigorously to the official version, but between ourselves, chaos rules :-   A for 'orses,  C for ships,   f for vescence,  I for a bargain, L for leather,  O for a quiet life,  P for relief......................and queues are silent..............as in state funeral.  Have a go at your own phonetics;  it's fun.

Then you can move on to maritime  signal flags.  A retired P&O deck officer I know looked at a noisy , unruly crowd of children in Hereford Cathedral on a school trip and sighed   "Batten down the hatches and hoist flag    X   "  As you probably  don't have your copy of the Maritime Flag Code to hand;    it is defined as "  Stop carrying out your intentions and watch for my signals"  or more colloquially  "Stop it and listen!"





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[scooter]

Then you can move on to maritime  signal flags.  A retired P&O deck officer I know looked at a noisy , unruly crowd of children in Hereford Cathedral on a school trip and sighed   "Batten down the hatches and hoist flag    X   "  As you probably  don't have your copy of the Maritime Flag Code to hand;    it is defined as "  Stop carrying out your intentions and watch for my signals"  or more colloquially  "Stop it and listen!"

Would it have been a concern if he said "Hoist flag Z"? 

[zenrat]

Then you can move on to maritime  signal flags.  A retired P&O deck officer I know looked at a noisy , unruly crowd of children in Hereford Cathedral on a school trip and sighed   "Batten down the hatches and hoist flag    X   "  As you probably  don't have your copy of the Maritime Flag Code to hand;    it is defined as "  Stop carrying out your intentions and watch for my signals"  or more colloquially  "Stop it and listen!"

Would it have been a concern if he said "Hoist flag Z"? 

In a cathedral, with children around!
 

[Old Wombat]

Then you can move on to maritime  signal flags.  A retired P&O deck officer I know looked at a noisy , unruly crowd of children in Hereford Cathedral on a school trip and sighed   "Batten down the hatches and hoist flag    X   "  As you probably  don't have your copy of the Maritime Flag Code to hand;    it is defined as "  Stop carrying out your intentions and watch for my signals"  or more colloquially  "Stop it and listen!"

Would it have been a concern if he said "Hoist flag Z"? 

In a cathedral, with children around!
 

He could be shooting nets. 

[Mossie]

Outside our family, we stck rigorously to the official version, but between ourselves, chaos rules :-   A for 'orses,  C for ships,   f for vescence,  I for a bargain, L for leather,  O for a quiet life,  P for relief......................and queues are silent..............as in state funeral.  Have a go at your own phonetics;  it's fun.

Then you can move on to maritime  signal flags.  A retired P&O deck officer I know looked at a noisy , unruly crowd of children in Hereford Cathedral on a school trip and sighed   "Batten down the hatches and hoist flag    X   "  As you probably  don't have your copy of the Maritime Flag Code to hand;    it is defined as "  Stop carrying out your intentions and watch for my signals"  or more colloquially  "Stop it and listen!"





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Ronnie and Ronnie would be proud.