An older version began with Apples and Butter, while soldiers in the First World War preferred Ack and Beer
16 Apr 2019
Ken Harding/BIPs/Getty Images
It's
a familiar experience while watching war flicks - when the action kicks
in, the dialogue devolves into a mass of Charlies, Deltas and Foxtrots.
But
while dramatic licence may sometimes see these terms abused, the
phonetic alphabet holds vital significance among militaries across the
world - and has done for more than six decades.
The North Atlantic
Treaty Organisation (Nato) formally adopted the final version of the
International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet - better known as the
Nato phonetic alphabet or simply the Alpha, Bravo, Charlie alphabet - on
1 January 1956.
But Forces.net
notes that “agreement on the words used was not entirely
straightforward, with some words sparking strong debate”, and many of
them have changed over time.
Here is how the words were chosen and how the alphabet has evolved.
What is the Nato phonetic alphabet for?
It
was created as a standardised way for aircrews around the world to make
themselves recognised and understood. All flights and planes are given
names with identifying letters, but characters such as M and N or D and B
can sound very similar, even when said by someone standing right next
to you.
While
not technically a phonetic alphabet (which helps individuals in the
pronunciations of words), the Nato alphabet meant differences in
accents, languages and pronunciations stopped being a problem.
Radio
communications have moved on in terms of technical sophistication since
then, but the alphabet is still in place in case of confusion, error or
bad reception to make sure the correct message is transmitted, received
and understood.
Why did it need to be standardised?
During
the First World War, the Royal Navy used an alphabet that began Apples,
Butter and Charlie, while British infantrymen in the trenches had their
own version, which started Ack, Beer and Charlie.
The RAF developed an alphabet based on both of these but when the US air force joined the war, all Allied Forces adopted what became known as the Able, Baker alphabet.
This also came to be used in civil aviation, but confusion continued,
not least by the use of a separate English alphabet in South America.
Who made it up?
As
an agency of the United Nations, it made sense for the ICAO to create a
standardised alphabet, one which – even if made of English words – had
sounds common to all languages and so could be spoken and pronounced
internationally no matter what nationality the pilot. Jean-Paul Vinay of
the University of Montreal, a noted professor of linguistics, was
charged with creating a new alphabet equivalency list and completed it
in 1951.
That
new alphabet hit a spot of turbulence, though, as many pilots disliked
it and reverted to the one they had been using previously. Consequently,
after further study and testing among the 31 ICAO member countries, the
current alphabet was officially introduced on the 1 March 1956, with
just five simple changes to Jean-Paul Vinay’s earlier work – the words
for the letters C, M, N, U and X.
Has it evolved since then?
Adopted worldwide, those changes have remained in place ever since and are still in use.
Over
time it has, though, developed its own form of shorthand or slang,
whereby certain combinations of the alphabet’s words have
pre-established and inherent meaning.
For example, the expression
“Oscar-Mike” means “on the move” and is used to denote a military unit,
which is moving between positions.
These words and expressions
“are also used outside the military, in areas of civilian life where it
is also especially critical to ensure accurate and correct expression
and understanding of words” says trivia site Sporcle.
This
is true in the police force, where they have established their own
Police Alphabet, in the financial sector, where banks and traders often
use the alphabet for large transactions done over the phone, and in
commercial airline communication as well.
The International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet:
A - Alfa (Alpha - the "ph" sound is not recognised internationally)
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