The Etymological Evolution of the International NATO Phonetic Alphabet
LinguistRob WattsofRobWords wandered around the planes of Derby Airfield as he recounted the etymological evolution of what is now known to be the NATO phonetic alphabet, noting how the final iteration is neither created by NATO nor is it a phonetic alphabet.
Instead, he explains, it was actually a collaboration between the International Commission for Air Navigation (ICAO ) and Jean-Paul Vinay, a professor of linguistics at the Universite de Montreal in Canada, to devise a new spelling alphabet that would work with most languages.
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.
The Origins of the International NATO Phonetic AlphabetThe Origins of the International NATO Phonetic Spelling Alphabet (Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta)
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