Editing NATO phonetic alphabet (section)

==Pronunciation of code words==
{{IPA notice}}

The final choice of code words for the letters of the alphabet and for the digits was made after hundreds of thousands of comprehension tests involving 31 nationalities. The qualifying feature was the likelihood of a code word being understood in the context of others. For example, ''Football'' has a higher chance of being understood than ''Foxtrot'' in isolation, but ''Foxtrot'' is superior in extended communication.<ref name="icaohistory"/>

Pronunciations were set out by the ICAO before 1956 with advice from the governments of both the United States and United Kingdom.<ref name="Rose">L.J. Rose, "Aviation's ABC: The development of the ICAO spelling alphabet", ''ICAO Bulletin'' '''11'''/2 (1956) 12–14.</ref> To eliminate national variations in pronunciation, posters illustrating the pronunciation desired by ICAO are available.<ref name="International-Civil-Aviation-Organization-2016"/> However, there remain differences in the pronunciations published by ICAO and other agencies, and ICAO has apparently conflicting Latin-alphabet and [[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] transcriptions. At least some of these differences appear to be typographic errors. In 2022, the [[Deutsches Institut für Normung]] (DIN) attempted to resolve these conflicts.<ref name="DIN"/> For example, they consistently transcribe {{IPA|[a]}} for what the ICAO had transcribed variously as {{IPA|[a], [aː], [ɑ], [ɑː], [æ], [ə]}} in IPA and as ''a, ah, ar, er'' in orthography. 

Just as words are spelled out as individual letters, numbers are spelled out as individual digits. That is, 17 is rendered as ''one seven'' and 60 as ''six zero''. Depending on context, the word ''thousand'' may be used as in English, and, for whole hundreds only (when the sequence 00 occurs at the end of a number), the word ''hundred'' may be used. For example, 1300 is read as ''one three zero zero'' if it is a transponder code or serial number, and as ''one thousand three hundred'' if it is an altitude or distance.

The ICAO, NATO, and FAA use modifications of English digits as code words, with 3, 4, 5 and 9 being pronounced ''tree'', ''fower'' (rhymes with ''lower''), ''fife'' and ''niner''. The digit 3 is specified as ''tree'' so that it will not be mispronounced ''sri'' (and similarly ''thousand'' is pronounced ''tousand''); the long pronunciation of 4 (still found in some English dialects) keeps it somewhat distinct from ''for''; 5 is pronounced with a second "f" because the normal pronunciation with a "v" is easily confused with "fire"; and 9 has an extra syllable to keep it distinct from the German word ''nein'' "no".<ref>Camelia Uşurelu (2019: 461) ''Studii lingvistice. In memoriam Cristina Călăraşu''. Editura Universităţii din Bucureşti</ref> (Prior to 1956, ''three'' and ''five'' had been pronounced with the English consonants, but with the vowels broken into two syllables.) For directions presented as the hour-hand position on a clock, the additional numerals "ten", "eleven" and "twelve" are used with the word "o'clock".<ref name="International-Civil-Aviation-Organization-2016"/>{{rp|5-7}}

The ITU and IMO, however, specify a different set of code words. These are compounds of ICAO and Latinesque roots.<ref name="egmdss">{{Cite web|url=https://www.egmdss.com/gmdss-courses/mod/resource/view.php?id=72|title=Phonetic Alphabet|publisher=GMDSS Courses and Simulators|access-date=23 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190626195307/https://www.egmdss.com/gmdss-courses/mod/resource/view.php?id=72|archive-date=26 June 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>
The IMO's GMDSS procedures permits the use of either set of code words.<ref name="egmdss"/>

===Tables===
There are two IPA transcriptions of the letter names, from the [[International Civil Aviation Organization]] (ICAO) and the [[Deutsches Institut für Normung]] (DIN). Both authorities indicate that a [[non-rhotic]] pronunciation is standard.<ref group="Note">This is reinforced by the IMO, which for example has "'''TCHAH'''-LI" as the French respelling of ''Charlie'' and "'''OSS'''-CAH", "'''VIK'''-TAH" as the English respellings of ''Oscar'' and ''Victor''.</ref> That of the ICAO, first published in 1950<!--first edition--> and reprinted many times without correction (e.g. the error in 'golf'), uses a large number of vowels. For instance, it has six low/central vowels: {{IPAblink|æ}} {{IPAblink|a}} {{IPAblink|aː}} {{IPAblink|ɑ}} {{IPAblink|ɑː}} {{IPAblink|ə}}. The DIN consolidated all six into the single low-central vowel {{IPA|[a]}}. The DIN vowels are partly predictable, with {{IPA|[{{IPAlink|ɪ}} {{IPAlink|ɛ}} {{IPAlink|ɔ}}]}} in closed syllables and {{IPA|[{{IPAlink|i}} {{IPAlink|e}}/[[diphthong|ei̯]] {{IPAlink|o}}]}} in [[open syllable]]s apart from ''echo'' and ''sierra'', which have {{IPA|[ɛ]}} as in English, German and Italian. The DIN also reduced the number of stressed syllables in ''bravo'' and ''x-ray'', consistent with the ICAO English respellings of those words and with the NATO change of spelling of ''x-ray'' to ''xray'' so that people would know to pronounce it as a single word.

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"
|+ class="nowrap"| Letter code words with pronunciation
!scope="col" rowspan="2"| Symbol
!scope="col" rowspan="2"| Code word
!scope="col" rowspan="2"| [[DIN 5009]]<br />(2022) [[International Phonetic Alphabet|{{abbr|IPA|International Phonetic Alphabet}}]]<ref name="DIN">{{cite book |title= DIN 5009:2022-06 |chapter= Appendix B: Buchstabiertafel der ICAO ("Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet") |author= Deutsches Institut für Normung |date= 2022 |url= https://www.din.de/de/mitwirken/normenausschuesse/nia/entwuerfe/wdc-beuth:din21:341625838!full-text |access-date= 27 December 2022 |archive-date= 27 December 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20221227085517/https://www.din.de/de/mitwirken/normenausschuesse/nia/entwuerfe/wdc-beuth:din21:341625838%21full-text |url-status= live |language=de}}</ref>
!scope="col" colspan="2"| [[International Civil Aviation Organization|{{abbr|ICAO|International Civil Aviation Organization}}]] (1950)<ref name="International-Civil-Aviation-Organization-2016">{{Cite book |url=https://elibrary.icao.int/reader/278655/%26returnUrl%3DaHR0cHM6Ly9lbGlicmFyeS5pY2FvLmludC9leHBsb3JlO3NlYXJjaFRleHQ9YW5uZXglMjAxMCUyMHZvbHVtZSUyMGlpO21haW5TZWFyY2g9MTt0aGVtZU5hbWU9Qmx1ZS1UaGVtZS9wcm9kdWN0LWRldGFpbHMvMjc4NjU1?productType=ebookProcedures |title=Annex 10 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation: Aeronautical Telecommunications; Volume II Communication Procedures including those with PANS status |page=§5.2.1.3, Figure 5–1 |publisher=International Civil Aviation Organization |edition=7th |date=July 2016 |access-date=18 June 2022 |url-status=live |archive-date=11 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220711183255/https://elibrary.icao.int/reader/278655/%26returnUrl%3DaHR0cHM6Ly9lbGlicmFyeS5pY2FvLmludC9leHBsb3JlO3NlYXJjaFRleHQ9YW5uZXglMjAxMCUyMHZvbHVtZSUyMGlpO21haW5TZWFyY2g9MTt0aGVtZU5hbWU9Qmx1ZS1UaGVtZS9wcm9kdWN0LWRldGFpbHMvMjc4NjU1?productType=ebookProcedures}}</ref>
|-
!scope="col"| [[International Phonetic Alphabet|{{abbr|IPA|International Phonetic Alphabet}}]]
!scope="col"| English respelling
|-
!scope="row"| A
| {{anchor|Alfa}}'''Alfa''' {{sic}}
|{{IPA|ˈalfa}}
| {{IPA|ˈælfa}}
| AL fah
|-
!scope="row"| B
| '''Bravo'''
|{{IPA|ˈbravo}}
| {{IPA|ˈbraːˈvo}} {{sic}}
| BRAH voh
|-
!scope="row"|  C
| '''Charlie'''
|{{IPA|ˈtʃali}} <br>(''or'' {{IPA|ˈʃali}})
| {{IPA|ˈtʃɑːli}} <br>(''or'' {{IPA|ˈʃɑːli}})
| CHAR lee <br>(''or'' SHAR lee)<ref name="OTAN">As of approximately 2018, NATO no longer supports the alternative pronunciations of ''Charlie'' and ''Uniform'', on either its English- or French-language portals.[https://www.nato.int/cps/fr/natohq/news_150391.htm]</ref>
|-
!scope="row"| D
|'''Delta'''
|{{IPA|ˈdɛlta}}
| {{IPA|ˈdeltɑ}}
| DELL tah
|-
!scope="row"| E
|'''Echo'''
|{{IPA|ˈɛko}}
| {{IPA|ˈeko}}
| ECK oh
|-
!scope="row"| F
|'''Foxtrot'''
|{{IPA|ˈfɔkstrɔt}}
| {{IPA|ˈfɔkstrɔt}}
| FOKS trot
|-
!scope="row"| G
|'''Golf'''
|{{IPA|ˈɡɔlf}}
| {{IPA|ɡʌlf}} {{sic}}
| golf
|-
!scope="row"| H
|'''Hotel'''
|{{IPA|hoˈtɛl}}
| {{IPA|hoːˈtel}}
| ho TELL
|-
!scope="row"| I
|'''India'''
|{{IPA|ˈɪndia}}
| {{IPA|ˈindi.ɑ}}
| IN dee ah
|-
! scope="row" | J
| {{anchor|Juliett}}'''Juliett''' {{sic}}
|{{IPA|ˈdʒuliˈɛt}}
| {{IPA|ˈdʒuːli.ˈet}}
| JEW lee ETT
|-
!scope="row"| K
|'''Kilo'''
|{{IPA|ˈkilo}}
| {{IPA|ˈkiːlo}}
| KEY loh
|-
!scope="row"| L
|'''Lima'''
|{{IPA|ˈlima}}
| {{IPA|ˈliːmɑ}}
| LEE mah
|-
!scope="row"| M
|'''Mike'''
|{{IPA|ˈmai̯k}}
| {{IPA|mɑik}}
| mike
|-
!scope="row"| N
|'''November'''
|{{IPA|noˈvɛmba}}
| {{IPA|noˈvembə}}
| no VEM ber
|-
!scope="row"| O
|'''Oscar'''
|{{IPA|ˈɔska}}
| {{IPA|ˈɔskɑ}}
| OSS cah
|-
!scope="row"| P
|'''Papa'''
|{{IPA|paˈpa}}
| {{IPA|pəˈpɑ}}
| pah PAH
|-
!scope="row"| Q
|'''Quebec'''
|{{IPA|keˈbɛk}} {{sic}}
| {{IPA|keˈbek}}
| keh BECK
|-
!scope="row"| R
|'''Romeo'''
|{{IPA|ˈromio}}
| {{IPA|ˈroːmi.o}}
| ROW me oh
|-
!scope="row"| S
| '''Sierra'''
|{{IPA|siˈɛra}}
| {{IPA|siˈerɑ}}
| see AIR rah
|-
!scope="row"| T
|'''Tango'''
|{{IPA|ˈtaŋɡo}}
| {{IPA|ˈtænɡo}}
| TANG go
|-
!scope="row"| U
|'''Uniform'''
|{{IPA|ˈjunifɔm}} <br>(''or'' {{IPA|ˈunifɔm}})
| {{IPA|ˈjuːnifɔːm}} <br>(''or'' {{IPA|ˈuːnifɔrm}} {{sic}})
|{{nowrap|YOU nee form}} <br>(''or'' {{nowrap|OO nee form}})<ref name=OTAN/>
|-
!scope="row"| V
|'''Victor'''
|{{IPA|ˈvɪkta}}
| {{IPA|ˈviktɑ}}
| VIK tah
|-
!scope="row"| W
|'''Whiskey'''
|{{IPA|ˈwɪski}}
| {{IPA|ˈwiski}}
| WISS key
|-
!scope="row"| X
|'''Xray, x-ray'''
|{{IPA|ˈɛksrei̯}}
| {{IPA|ˈeksˈrei}} {{sic}}
| ECKS ray
|-
!scope="row"| Y
|'''Yankee'''
|{{IPA|ˈjaŋki}}
| {{IPA|ˈjænki}}
| YANG key
|-
!scope="row"| Z
|'''Zulu'''
|{{IPA|ˈzulu}}
| {{IPA|ˈzuːluː}}
| ZOO loo
|}

There is no authoritative IPA transcription of the digits. However, there are respellings into both English and French, which can be compared to clarify some of the ambiguities and inconsistencies. 
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"
|+ class="nowrap"| Digit code words with pronunciation
!scope="col" rowspan="2"| Symbol
!scope="col" rowspan="2"| Code word
!scope="col" colspan="9"| Respellings
|-
!scope="col"| {{abbr|ICAO|International Civil Aviation Organization}}<ref name="International-Civil-Aviation-Organization-2016" /><br />(English)
!scope="col"| [[Aeronautical Information Service|{{abbr|SIA|Service de l'Information Aéronautique}}]]<ref name="SIO">Service de l'Information Aéronautique, [https://www.sia.aviation-civile.gouv.fr/dossier/texteregle/RADIOTEL_V2.pdf ''Radiotéléphonie''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141102163739/https://www.sia.aviation-civile.gouv.fr/dossier/texteregle/RADIOTEL_V2.pdf|date=2 November 2014}}, 2nd edition, 2006, p. 25.</ref><br />(French)
![[Combined Communications-Electronics Board|CCEB]] 2016<ref name="CCEB">{{Cite web |title=COMMUNICATIONS INSTRUCTIONS RADIOTELEPHONE PROCEDURES: ACP125 (G) |url=https://www.navy-radio.com/manuals/acp/acp125g.pdf |pages=3-2 &ndash; 3-7 |access-date=10 November 2022 |archive-date=9 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221209165420/https://www.navy-radio.com/manuals/acp/acp125g.pdf |url-status=live}} [https://orwg.cap.gov/media/cms/ACP125GRadioTelephoneProceduresNOV2_EFFE1A51BA783.pdf Alt URL] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221004162830/https://orwg.cap.gov/media/cms/ACP125GRadioTelephoneProceduresNOV2_EFFE1A51BA783.pdf |date=4 October 2022}}</ref>
! scope="col" | [[Federal Aviation Administration|{{abbr|FAA|Federal Aviation Administration}}]]<ref name="FAA-ATC">{{cite web |date=2 December 2021 |title=FAA Order JO 7110.65Z - Air Traffic Control |url=https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/atpubs/atc_html/ |access-date=20 January 2022 |at=§2-4-16, TBL 2-4-1 |archive-date=20 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220120163608/https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/atpubs/atc_html/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
! scope="col" | {{nowrap|[[International Telecommunication Union|{{abbr|ITU|International Telecommunication Union}}]][[ITU-R|-R]] 2007 <small>(WRC-07)</small><ref name="ITU">{{cite web |title=ITU Phonetic Alphabet and Figure Code |url=http://life.itu.ch/radioclub/rr/ap14.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107004153/http://life.itu.ch/radioclub/rr/ap14.pdf |archive-date=7 November 2017 |access-date=31 October 2017 |publisher=ITU-R}}</ref>}}<br>[[International Maritime Organization|{{abbr|IMO|International Maritime Organization}}]] <small>(English)</small><ref name="International-Maritime-Organisation">International Maritime Organisation (2005). ''International Code of Signals'', pp. 22–23. Fourth edition, London.</ref>
![[International Maritime Organization|{{abbr|IMO|International Maritime Organization}}]]<br /><small>(French)</small><ref name="International-Maritime-Organisation" />
! scope="col" | {{nowrap|US Navy}}<br />1957<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.virhistory.com/navy/manuals/rm32-10228B-1957.pdf|title=Radioman 3 & 2 Training Course Manual NAVPERS 10228-B|date=1957|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180227094307/http://www.virhistory.com/navy/manuals/rm32-10228B-1957.pdf|archive-date=27 February 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>
! scope="col" | {{nowrap|US Army}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.army.com/info/alphabet|title=Military phonetic alphabet by US Army|date=14 March 2014|website=US Army |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140802155839/http://army.com/info/alphabet|archive-date=2 August 2014|url-status=dead|access-date=11 August 2014}}</ref>
|-
!scope="row"| 1
| '''One''', '''unaone'''
| WUN
| OUANN
|wun
| wun
| OO-NAH-WUN
| OUNA-OUANN
| wun
| wun, {{nowrap|won <small>(USMC)</small>}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tecom.marines.mil/Portals/120/Docs/Student%20Materials/CREST%20Manual/RP0506.pdf|title=RP 0506 – Field Communication|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924113817/http://www.tecom.marines.mil/Portals/120/Docs/Student%20Materials/CREST%20Manual/RP0506.pdf|archive-date=24 September 2015|url-status=live|access-date=11 August 2014}}</ref>
|-
!scope="row"| 2
| '''Two''', '''bissotwo'''
| TOO
| TOU
|too
| too
| BEES-SOH-TOO
| BIS-SO-TOU
| too
| too
|-
!scope="row"| 3
| '''Three''', '''terrathree'''
| TREE
| TRI
|tree
| tree
| TAY-RAH-TREE
| TÉ-RA-TRI
| thuh-ree
| tree
|-
!scope="row"| 4
|'''Four''', '''kartefour'''
|FOW-er
|FO eur
|FOW-er
|fow-er
|KAR-TAY-FOWER
|{{nowrap|KAR-TÉ-FO-EUR}}
|fo-wer
|fow-er
|-
!scope="row"| 5
|'''Five''', '''pantafive'''
|FIFE
|FA ÏF {{sic}}<!--clearly a spacing error: no need for the diaeresis if there were two syllables-->
|fife
|fife
|PAN-TAH-FIVE
|PANN-TA-FAIF
|fi-yiv
|fife
|-
!scope="row"| 6
|'''Six''', '''soxisix'''
|SIX
|SIKS
|six
|six
|SOK-SEE-SIX
|SO-XI-SICKS
|six
|six
|-
!scope="row"| 7
|'''Seven''', '''setteseven'''
|SEV-en
|SÈV n
|SEV-en
|sev-en
|SAY-TAY-SEVEN
|SÉT-TÉ-SEV'N {{sic}}
|seven
|sev-en
|-
!scope="row"| 8
|'''Eight''', '''oktoeight'''
|AIT
|EÏT
|ait
|ait
|OK-TOH-AIT
|OK-TO-EIT
|ate
|ait
|-
!scope="row"| 9
| '''Nine''', '''novenine'''<ref group="Note">Written "nine" in the examples, but pronunciation given as "niner"</ref>
| NIN-er
| NAÏ neu
|NINE-er
| nin-er
| NO-VAY-NINER
| {{nowrap|NO-VÉ-NAI-NEU}}
| niner
| nin-er
|-
!scope="row"| 0
| '''Zero''', '''nadazero'''
| ZE-RO {{nowrap|(ZEE-ro)<ref group="Note" name="stress">The ICAO specifies that all syllables in these words are to be equally stressed (§5.2.1.4.3 note), but in practice they are not. The IMO specifies that ZEE-ro and TOU-sand are stressed on their first syllable.</ref>}}
| ZI RO
|ZE-ro
| ze-ro / zee-ro
| {{nowrap|NAH-DAH-ZAY-ROH}}<ref group="Note" name="stress2">With the code words for the digits and decimal, each syllable is stressed equally.</ref><ref group="Note" name="EN-component">Only the second (English) component of each code word is used by the Aeronautical Mobile Service.</ref>
| {{nowrap|NA-DA-ZE-RO}}<ref group="Note" name="stress2" /><ref group="Note" name="EN-component" />
| zero
| ze-ro
|-
!scope="row"| 00
| '''Hundred'''
| HUN-dred
| HUN-dred
| (zero zero)
| (hundred)
|
|
| hun-dred
|
|-
!scope="row"| 000
| '''Thousand'''
| {{nowrap|TOU-SAND}} {{nowrap|(TOU-sand)<ref group="Note" name="stress" />}}
| {{nowrap|TAOU ZEND}}
| {{nowrap|(zero zero zero)}}
| (thousand)
|
|
| {{nowrap|thow-zand}}
| tou-sand
|-
!scope="row"| ([[decimal point]])
| '''Decimal''', {{nowrap|(FAA) '''point'''}}
| {{nowrap|DAY-SEE-MAL<ref group="Note" name="stress" />}}
| DÈ SI MAL
| (decimal)
| (point)
| DAY-SEE-MAL
| DÉ-SI-MAL
|
|
|}

The [[Combined Communications-Electronics Board]] (CCEB) has code words for punctuation, including those in the table below.
{| class="wikitable"
|+ class="nowrap"| Punctuation code words (CCEB)
!scope="col"| Symbol
!scope="col"| Code word
|-
!scope="row"| .
| '''stop''' (when not a decimal point)
|-
!scope="row"| ,
| '''comma''' (when not a decimal comma)
|-
!scope="row"| -
| '''hyphen''', {{nowrap|(FAA) '''dash'''}}
|-
!scope="row"| /
| '''slant''' 
|-
!scope="row"| (
| '''brackets on'''
|-
!scope="row"| )
| '''brackets off'''
|}

Others are: "colon", "semi-colon", "exclamation mark", "question mark", "apostrophe", "quote", and "unquote".<ref name=CCEB/>