We build. You grow.

Get best community software here

Start a social network, a fan-site, an education project with oxwall - free opensource community software

Phonetic Alphabet (or more accurately: Phonotic) | Forum

Topic location: Forum home » Support » General Questions
John
John May 20
When talking users through typing arcane commands over telephone, we'd often use a slightly modified phonetic alphabet, eg:

P for phonetic (or psycho, depending on the user's current state of humour)
A for aisle
C for czar (also cent)
E for Europe (also E for Ewe *, E for Eye *)
G for gnome
H for hour
J for Juan (our Chilean workmate - true)
K for knight
L for fifty #
M for mnemonic
O for one
T for tsunami (after 2004 we changed to tsar)
V for five #
W for why *
X for ten #
Y for you *


* = letters that sound like other letters
# = roman numerals

and sometimes we'd use these, even though they didn't quite "flow" right:

I for one #
C for hundred # is really C eg century
M for thousand # is really M eg millennium (still useful because most of our users had never heard of the word "mnemonic")
N for negate (or N for negation)

The things programmers do to make their work more entertaining. </div>
		        
		                
	</div>
		      		<div class=
Olli Stor
Olli Stor May 20
Also compound roman numerals eg:

"type the word pixie, as in p for phonetic, i for ingrid, xi for eleven, e for eye"

edit: "ixi for ten" would work too, although users on a support call are usually too frazzled to think this hard

Rajesh Rajpo
Rajesh Rajpo May 20
I love hearing about the inventive ways programmers spice up their work! Your phonetic alphabet modifications sound like a riot, especially with the playful twists like "P for psycho" or "G for gnome." It's those little touches of humor that can make even the most routine tasks enjoyable. It must have been a riot coming up with those alternatives! By the way, if you're ever in need of some extra alphabet fun, I've got some awesome printable worksheets for practicing letters and alphabet with my kids. They're a hit in our household and might add some extra flair to your day too. Check them out at https://www.firstworksheets.com/ and keep the creative vibes flowing.