Challenge: Alternatives to Alpha Bravo Charlie...

hammo1j

Donor
The phonetic alphabet beloved of police forces and air traffic control was originally developed by NATO so that its forces could pass information unambiguously in the heat of battle.

http://nostalgia.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nato_phonetic_alphabet

The NATO phonetic alphabet is as follows:

A Alpha
B Bravo
C Charlie
D Delta
E Echo
F Foxtrot
G Golf
H Hotel
I India
J Juliet
K Kilo
L Lima
M Mike
N November
O Oscar
P Papa
Q Quebec
R Romeo
S Sierra
T Tango
U Uniform
V Victor
W Whiskey
X X-ray
Y Yankee
Z Zulu

But What If NATO had not been the dominant force behind the phonetic alphabet. What if neuroscientists, comedians, swearers, politicians or even non English speakers had come up with the initial idea which then spread virally much in the same way that the NATO codes have?

The Challenge is to name a source and reflect its essence in the make up of an alternative phonetic alphabet.
 
With the advent of the telephone, useing this new technical equipment became a mandatory class at vocational schools throughout the Empire in short order. In order to prevent miscommunications in spelling, the London Chamber of Commernce commissioned a panel of teachers from vocational institutions to create a 'vocabulabethic' spelling system that would be useful even over poorly transmitting long-distance lines. It would be composed of easily recognisable words and was to become standard throughout the anglophone world by 1920.

A - Able
B - Baker
C - Coin
D - Divide
E - England
F - France
G - Griddle
H - Home
I - India
J - Jam
K - Keel
L - Love
M - Merry
N - Nose
O - Organ
P - Pretty
Q - Quaint
R - Rubber
S - Stick
T - Target
U - Under
V - Victory
X - Xenophon
Y - Yellow
Z - Zealot

Schoolchildren have since its day of publication amused themselves by creating humorous narratives from the random juxtapositions created by spelling out names and words in this system.
 
In reaction to the sucess of the LCC telephone alphabet, the Hearst Press sponsored a competition for a "telephonic spelling alphabet that is as practical and simple as it is American". The winning submission was published in 1902 in the wake of yet another patriotic bout of Brit-bashing (over the Boer War) and after several years of intense lobbying was adopted for use in schools in most states and territories. It read:

A - America
B - Brandywine
C - Canoe
D - Dollar
E - English
F - Freedom
G - Genius
H - Homestead
I - Indian
J - Jury
K - Kentucky
L - Lincoln
M - Minuteman
N - Nation
O - Oregon
P - President
Q - Query
R - Revere
S - Southron
T - Tisquantum
U - Union
V - Virginia
W - Washington
X - Xenophon
Y - Yankee
Z - Zoo
 
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