Re: Origin of phonetic alphabet

[John Renish <John -dot- Renish -at- CONNER -dot- COM>]

Not all of 'em, but a surprising number. For example, alpha, delta, echo,
kilo, and papa are Greek and are widely known to both European and and
non-European speakers, primarily through sciences. Bravo is Italian and
known to virtually all European language speakers. Golf (which may be Dutch
or Gaelic in origin) is played from St. Andrews to Tokyo (where it's gorofu)
and all points between. Hotel is French and common in European languages
that include German, Spanish, Italian, and Portugese. India is an English
corruption of Hind, a Hindi word. Lima is the well-known capital of Peru.
Romeo is an Italian Shakespearean character and Shakespeare is probably the
most widely known writer outside his own tongue (not counting religious
figures). Surely every adult speaker of a Western European language has
heard of the tango (Argentinian Spanish). Uniform or variants is almost,
dare I say it, universal in European languages. I have heard Japanese say
X-ray, coined by Roentgen, a German (only a few American physicians seem to
call it a Roentgengram or Roentgenogram). Whiskey is from the Gaelic
uisquebagh (water of life) and well known in every language I've ever
encountered, including Arabic, French, German, Italian, Japanese, and
Portugese. Finally, Zebra is a local term, like chimpanzee, adapted widely
because the animal itself is localized. At least half of the phonetic
alphabet names are not exclusively English.

At the time the phonetic alphabet came into its present form, it was agreed
on by the NATO countries. Surely those who agreed found those words
reasonably accessible to their own citizens.

John -dot- Renish -at- conner -dot- com
My statements are my own and do not represent Conner Peripherals, Inc.
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