Phonetic alphabet - racist, not inclusive (!)

[grumpydog]

Just remembered one of the most ridiculous things I have ever read! It's from Yachting Monthly... must have been a couple of years ago I read the report. Here it is word for word, below. It leaves me speechless, frankly. I just don't know how many kinds of wrong are implied by those who find the phonetic alphabet racist or not 'inclusive'!

Fears that the recommended VHF radio phonetic alphabet could be outdated, or even racist, are being examined by the government’s Department for Transport. A survey of more than 14,000 marina users last summer found that 54 per cent of those questioned felt the existing alphabet is slanted towards an ‘ageing, middle-class customer base”. Use of the word Golf for G and Hotel for H, and references to ballroom dancing, Foxtrot and Tango for F and T, were not ‘inclusive’ enough, the survey found. 56 per cent felt the phonetic words Zulu for Z and Yankee for Y could be construed as “racist”.

Other objections were made about the use of Christian names: Charlie, Juliet, Mike, Oscar, Romeo and Victor made broadcasting over the ship’s radio “confusing”, 63 per cent felt. The DFT will report to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) by 1 April at the latest.

 

[BrendanS]

Doesn't 1 April give you a clue?

 

[grumpydog]

Doh! Bet you're right. It just sounded so possible! Mad, but possible... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[Peterduck]

It sounds to me that the spirits of the late Bill Beavis and Des Sleightholme are alive and well at YM!
Peter.

 

[cliffordpope]

I once amused myself by trying to construct an entirely confusing phonetic alphabet, based on non-standard pronunciations.
Three of my gems were;
P for Ptolemy
T for Tsar
X for Xylophone,

but I've forgotten the others unfortunately.

 

[nimbusgb]

Ok lets try to rebuild it.

I have A - Auger
b's a challenge

 

[MikeBz]

[ QUOTE ]
Doh! Bet you're right. It just sounded so possible! Mad, but possible... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Have you been reading the Daily Mail too often? /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Mik

 

[fisherman]

This should sort it:

'Ay fer 'orses
Beef or mutton
See fer yerself
Deferential
Ephemeral / evervescent
Geefer Skreepers
Age fourteen
Ivor Novello
Jaffa oranges
Kaffir mines
'Eli fer leather
Emphasis
Inferno ('n for No)
Over the garden wall
Pee for a penny
Queue for the flicks (= the cinema)
'Arf a mo!
a Safoetida-'a popular herb in East End homes
(pronounced S fer teeda)'
T fer two
You've a nerve!
Vive la France
Double you fer a bob!
Eggs fer breakfast
Wife or mistress?
Zephyr breezes

 

[KINGFISHER 9]

R for Askey.

 

[Romeo]

Re: Non- Phonetic alphabet

I like the idea of a non-phonetic alphabet, if nothing else simply to annoy people who deserve to be annoyed on the phone. May I add to your list teh folowing suggestions:

[ QUOTE ]


A - Autumn
E - Eye
G - Gnu
K - Knight
P for Ptolemy or phonetic!
T for Tsar
X for Xylophone,
Y - You



[/ QUOTE ]

I wonder if any clever poeple can come up with others. We should try to standardise it. I would suggest H for Hotel, but its already in there!

 

[Romeo]

Re: Non- Phonetic alphabet

come to think of it A for are and W for why, whilst still phonetic, would add nicely to the confusion.

 

[Sultans_Kapitein]

Re: Non- Phonetic alphabet

Surely (or should that be Shirley ?) H is for 'Orrible

Mal

 

[Romeo]

Re: Non- Phonetic alphabet

got a couple more



A - Autumn
E - Eye
G - Gnu
H - Hour
K - Knight
P for Ptolemy or phonetic!
Q - Quay
T for Tsar
X for Xylophone,
Y - You

 

[rogerdog]

[ QUOTE ]
Doesn't 1 April give you a clue?

[/ QUOTE ]

April 1st does get used as a "real day" as well - the organisation I work for are announcing the latest redundancies on April 1st ! Various mutterings in the past have occurred with the outdatedness and cultural bias of the alphabet used in radio comms. Its probably just a matter of time ! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

 

[cliffordpope]

It also discriminates against people with learning difficulties who can't read and write, and minority UK languages that don't have certain letters (eg Welsh and K).

 

[DownWest]

And the furriners who have even fewer letters, W Y K are all missing from some euro tongues. (are Welsh furriners?)
A

 

[Aeolus]

Re: Non- Phonetic alphabet

C - Chardonnay
E - Emphatic or Essential or Enlighten
S - Shard

 

[David_Jersey]

Re: Non- Phonetic alphabet

Many many years ago one of my former work colleagues was a youngster new to the world of dictaphones - and he became well known for his creative Phonetic alphabet.

S = Sadomasochistic nun from california /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif


Strange what sticks in the memory /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[Torp]

Q for quay, G for gee (no help at all)...

 

[Torp]

Actually, G for 'gee-gee' would be even more pleasantly confusing. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif