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Phonetic alphabets were
established in order to remove the ambiguity of letter and number pronunciation. Because of the similarities in
the sounds of some characters, and the accompanying potential for misinterpretation, common words that begin with
each letter of the alphabet were assigned to represent each of the letters. Aviators use the International
(ITO/NATO) version, while law enforcement agencies tend to use the Police version. Many people not constrained to
a particular version of the phonetic alphabet tend to use anything that comes to mind. Is is not unusual to hear
people on the phone trying to spell a word by using ad hoc words to represent each letter - many times with
equally ambiguous examples like "w" as in "who" - which of course when listening to the word "who," does not
necessarily make clear that it is meant to represent the letter "w." This phonetic alphabet table lists
those used by the aviation industry (International ITU / NATO) and the police. I'm not sure how much the Western
Union version is used any more.
| A |
Alfa (Al Fah') |
Adam |
Adam |
| B |
Bravo (Brah' Voh) |
Baker |
Boston |
| C |
Charlie (Char' Lee) |
Charlie |
Chicago |
| D |
Delta (Dell' Tah) |
David |
Denver |
| E |
Echo (Eck' Oh) |
Edward |
Easy |
| F |
Foxtrot (Foks' Trot) |
Frank |
Frank |
| G |
Gulf (Golf) |
George |
George |
| H |
Hotel (Hoh' Tell) |
Henry |
Henry |
| I |
India (In' Dee Ah) |
Ida |
Ida |
| J |
Juilette (Jew' Lee Ett) |
John |
John |
| K |
Kilo (Key' Loh) |
King |
King |
| L |
Lima (Lee' Mah) |
Lincoln |
Lincoln |
| M |
Mike (Mike) |
Mary |
Mary |
| N |
November (No Vem' Ber) |
Nancy |
New York |
| O |
Oscar (Oss Cah') |
Otto |
Ocean |
| P |
Papa (Pah' Pah) |
Peter |
Peter |
| Q |
Quebec (Keh' Beck) |
Queen |
Queen |
| R |
Romeo (Row' Me Oh) |
Robert |
Roger |
| S |
Sierra (See Air' Rah) |
Susan |
Sugar |
| T |
Tango (Tang' Go) |
Thomas |
Thomas |
| U |
Uniform (You Nee' Form) |
Union |
Union |
| V |
Victor (Vik Tah') |
Victor |
Victor |
| W |
Whiskey (Wiss' Key) |
William |
William |
| X |
X-ray (Ecks' Ray) |
X-Ray |
X-Ray |
| Y |
Yankee (Yang' Key) |
Young |
Young |
| Z |
Zulu (Zoo' Loo) |
Zebra |
Zero |
| 9 |
Niner (Nyn' Er) |
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Here is the mother lode of
phonetic alphabet websites
in dozens of languages
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