At work today we were discussing the phonetic alphabet — what to use when spelling things out over the phone. The one I grew up with is (I’ve learned) NATO standard from 1954: Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Golf, Hotel, India, Juliet, Kilo, Lima, Mike, November, Oscar, Papa, Quebec, Romeo, Sierra, Tango, Uniform, Victor, Whiskey, X-ray, Yankee, Zulu.
But there are others. RAF 1942–43, for example: Apple Beer Charlie Dog Edward Freddy George Harry Ink Jug Johnny King Love Mother Nuts Orange Peter Queen Roger Sugar Tommy Uncle Vic William X-ray Yoke Zebra.
Or, if you prefer, Esperanto: Asfalto Barbaro Centimetro Doktoro Elemento Fabriko Girafo Hotelo Insekto Jubileo Kilogramo Legendo Masino Naturo Oktobro Papero Rekordo Salato Triumfo Universo Vulkano Zinko.
I know which one I’ll be using next time IT makes me spell my password out loud.