From the Rob Words YouTube channel. Here’s the video description:
Let’s uncover the secrets of the NATO phonetic alphabet! 🌏 [ad redacted]
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.
Thank you very much to Derby Aero Club at Derby Airfield for kindly allowing us to film. You can find out more about them here: https://www.derbyaeroclub.com/
Alfa?
Really?
The origin of “ph” for the “f” sound is that in Classical greek these words were pronounced with an aspirated “ph”, which lead to this romanization. Only later they were actually pronounced “f”.
So you could say that “ph” to universally communicate “f” is faulty, because it used to be a different sound in the first place.
Yes, he explained why it’s spelled that way in the video. The creators were worried that people unfamiliar with English wouldn’t pronounce the “ph” properly.
He also explained why Juliett is spelled with two Ts instead of one.
I think worried is the wrong word.
They studied how people pronounced words and showed that spelling it this way made more people pronounce it as expected.
I just learned a day or two ago that that’s the correct way? Because non-native speakers have problems with ph?
I only know Alpha.
Alpha (animal)
Alphabet
Alpha goal (from almost every game about CTF)
Alfalfa
For me in my language it is Alfa (the Greek letter) Alfabet (the alphabet) and Alfa-mannetje (you :P)
Right, but you speak english. As the video explains, it was spelled “alfa” so people who can’t speak english don’t pronounce it with a p sound.
I speak English as a second language.
Thank you very much.
But you still speak English
Beta spelling