Phonetic alphabet

[Mike Cecil]

Lynn,

S for Sugar: As did the British Army during the Second World War and into the 1950s.

The 1952 War Office Signals Pam lists the phonetic alphabet that includes S for Sugar, but the 1955 pam lists the NATO standardised phonetic alphabet which includes S for Sierra. Not sure when this version was introduced into Australia, but probably around the same time. It was certainly the phonetic alphabet in use in Australia by the mid-1960s.

Still, this is straying from Tony's original question: the origin and date of the parody.

Mike

[Richard Farrant]

I think what Tony has here is a version of the Cockney Alphabet, the following link comes from a Sydney newspaper website;
https://www.smh.com.au/news/Big-Ques...582700584.html

regards, Richard

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by Richard Farrant

I think what Tony has here is a version of the Cockney Alphabet, ...

regards, Richard

Richard, thank you that is a much fuller list, but it still doesn't nail down the original source (but does mention the possibility of British comedians of the 30's and 40's). I think this might be a popular culture thing that has been forgotten in the mists of time, I was hoping someone might say "Ahh yes that was part of such and such's radio play, or it was seen in this such movie".

[Mike K]

I believe the early 1920's British wireless sets were known as Ack and Charlie sets. BTW a local here has an original case for a Ack set, it has the appearance of being made by a cabinetmaker

I learnt the modern phonetics when I was studying for a ham radio license, it was part of the regulations syllabus. With all of the other crap that is now little used PAN PAN PAN

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by Mike Cecil

The 1952 War Office Signals Pam lists the phonetic alphabet that includes S for Sugar, but the 1955 pam lists the NATO standardised phonetic alphabet which includes S for Sierra. Not sure when this version was introduced into Australia, but probably around the same time. It was certainly the phonetic alphabet in use in Australia by the mid-1960s.

Mike

It was obviously an evolving system.

The 1907 (printed 1911) manual lists the partial alphabet in use at the
time, since telephony was still rather new:

"The letters T, A, B, M, S, P and V will be called Toc, Ack,
Beer, Emma, Esses, Pip and Vic respectively, so as to
phonetically distinguish them from similarly sounding letters,
and to ensure uniformity, no other names will be given them
or to any of the other letters of the alphabet."

(Page 220 of "Training Manual - Signalling, 1907 (Reprinted, with
amendments to 1st May 1911) Part III, Chapter XI, Section 216 -
Course of Instruction, Subsection 7, paragraph 3".)

I find that odd, as C or E are not mentioned and do sound like T, B or V, while A doesn't readily sound like any other letter and shouldn't require Ack.