Phonetic alphabet
From Halopedia, the Halo wiki
Template:Ratings The Phonetic Alphabet is the primary naming system used for small vessels. The United Nations Space Command uses the NATO phonetic alphabet.
| Letter | Code word | Pronunciation | IPA from ICAO |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Alfa (ICAO, ITU, IMO, FAA) Alpha (ANSI) |
AL FAH | pronounced ˈælfɑ |
| B | Bravo | BRAH VOE | pronounced ˈbrɑːˈvo
(sic) |
| C | Charlie | CHAR LEE or SHAR LEE |
pronounced ˈtʃɑːli
(sic) or |
| D | Delta | DELL TAH | pronounced ˈdeltɑ |
| E | Echo | ECK OH | pronounced ˈeko |
| F | Foxtrot | FOKS TROT | pronounced ˈfɔkstrɔt |
| G | Golf Gamma [note 1] |
GOLF/GA MAH | pronounced gʌlf
(sic) |
| H | Hotel | HO TELL (ICAO) HOH TELL (ITU, IMO, FAA) |
pronounced hoːˈtel |
| I | India | IN DEE AH | pronounced ˈindiˑɑ |
| J | Juliett (ICAO, ITU, IMO, FAA) Juliet (ANSI) |
JEW LEE ETT | pronounced ˈdʒuːliˑˈet |
| K | Kilo | KEY LOH | pronounced ˈkiːlo |
| L | Lima | LEE MAH | pronounced ˈliːmɑ |
| M | Mike | MIKE | pronounced mɑik |
| N | November | NO VEM BER | pronounced noˈvembə
(sic) |
| O | Oscar | OSS CAH | pronounced ˈɔskɑ |
| P | Papa | PAH PAH | pronounced pəˈpɑ |
| Q | Quebec | KEH BECK | pronounced keˈbek |
| R | Romeo | ROW ME OH | pronounced ˈroːmiˑo |
| S | Sierra | SEE AIR RAH (ICAO, ITU, IMO) SEE AIR AH (FAA) |
pronounced siˈerɑ |
| T | Tango | TANG GO | pronounced ˈtængo
(sic) |
| U | Uniform | YOU NEE FORM or OO NEE FORM |
pronounced ˈjuːnifɔːm
(sic) or |
| V | Victor | VIK TAH | pronounced ˈviktɑ |
| W | Whiskey | WISS KEY | pronounced ˈwiski |
| X | X-ray or Xray |
ECKS RAY (ICAO, ITU) ECKS RAY (IMO, FAA) |
pronounced ˈeksˈrei |
| Y | Yankee | YANG KEY | pronounced ˈjænki
(sic) |
| Z | Zulu | ZOO LOO | pronounced ˈzuːluː |
| 0 | Zero (FAA) Nadazero (ITU, IMO) |
ZE RO (ICAO, FAA) NAH-DAH-ZAY-ROH (ITU, IMO) |
— |
| 1 | One (FAA) Unaone (ITU, IMO) |
WUN (ICAO, FAA) OO-NAH-WUN (ITU, IMO) |
— |
| 2 | Two (FAA) Bissotwo (ITU, IMO) |
TOO (ICAO, FAA) BEES-SOH-TOO (ITU, IMO) |
— |
| 3 | Three (FAA) Terrathree (ITU, IMO) |
TREE (ICAO, FAA) TAY-RAH-TREE (ITU, IMO) |
— |
| 4 | Four (FAA) Kartefour (ITU, IMO) |
FOW ER (ICAO, FAA) KAR-TAY-FOWER (ITU, IMO) |
— |
| 5 | Five (FAA) Pantafive (ITU, IMO) |
FIFE (ICAO, FAA) PAN-TAH-FIVE (ITU, IMO) |
— |
| 6 | Six (FAA) Soxisix (ITU, IMO) |
SIX (ICAO, FAA) SOK-SEE-SIX (ITU, IMO) |
— |
| 7 | Seven (FAA) Setteseven (ITU, IMO) |
SEV EN (ICAO, FAA) SAY-TAY-SEVEN (ITU, IMO) |
— |
| 8 | Eight (FAA) Oktoeight (ITU, IMO) |
AIT (ICAO, FAA) OK-TOH-AIT (ITU, IMO) |
— |
| 9 | Nine (FAA) Novenine (ITU, IMO) No 'r' in spellings |
NIN ER (ICAO, FAA) NO-VAY-NINER (ITU, IMO) |
— |
Uses in Halo
- Pelican dropships are identified by a serial number consisting of one letter from the Phonetic Alphabet and three numbers. Examples: Echo 419, Victor 933, Bravo 022, Kilo 023.
- Fireteams are distinguished by Phonetic letters. Example: Fireteam Zulu.
- Bumblebee lifepods have serial numbers using three letters from the Phonetic alphabet.
- Marines use them in place of abbreviations in the field for weapons, vehicles, units, and sometimes common sayings.
- Covenant forces are called "Echo Tango" (E.T.) in battle, which is often shortened to just "Tango".
- A nickname for Brutes is "Baby Kong." Marines often say "Bravo-Kilo" instead, usually in interviews or testimonials.
- Dutch uses "Oscar-Mike", meaning "On the move." Also he is often heard using "Mike-Foxtrot" as self-imposed censorship for "mother fucker."
- SPARTANs are often referred to as "Sierras" by themselves and other UNSC personnel.
- Dr. Catherine Halsey uses the Phonetic alphabet to construct an alias matching her initials, "Charlie Hotel", in the epilogue of Halo: Contact Harvest.
Notes
- ^ Golf, the stand-in for the letter G in the modern phonetic alphabet, has only been referenced once in the Halo series. However, several units with the Gamma designation appear in Halo: Reach and another, Gamma 4, is mentioned in Homecoming. A Pelican designated Gamma 054 appears in Halo: The Cole Protocol.
