Why telephonic transmission requires the creation of a spelling alphabet

The genius logic of the NATO phonetic alphabet (title of the YouTube video)

This video by RobWords is rather long (23:27), but offers a captivating, enlightening look at the origins, makeup, and function of the NATO phonetic alphabet (NPA).  With 4.5M views and 10,815 comments in the first four weeks after posting, it seems to have struck a resonant note among a very large audience.

According to RobWords:

The NATO phonetic alphabet is not a phonetic alphabet and wasn't invented by NATO. However, it has a fascinating story to tell. It is the result of years of linguistic experimentation in the wake of the violence of World War II. So let's explore its development, from ALFA to ZULU. In this episode, we'll uncover the surprising story of how this alphabet – used by everyone from pilots to police officers – came to be. And look at the strange words that almost made the cut.

If you watch the presentation to the end, you will come to realize how complicated the process of choosing the 26 code words of the NPA was:  Alfa, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Golf, Hotel, India, Juliett, Kilo, Lima, Mike, November, Oscar, Papa, Quebec, Romeo, Sierra, Tango, Uniform, Victor, Whiskey, Xray, Yankee, and Zulu.  Linguistic concerns were at the heart of every stage of the selection process.

This hard-won, internationally recognized spelling alphabet is also known as belonging to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

 

Selected readings

• "Toward a Linguistically Valid Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet" (1/26/21)
• "D for Dog, L for Love" (12/12/10)

[Thanks to Gene Hill]