I can see how M as in Mancy would be confusing..
May 1, 2011 2:31 PM Subscribe
I am looking to create a useless phonetic alphabet, and respectfully request your assistance.
I work on the phone, and frequently find myself spelling things phonetically (A as in alpha, D as in delta, W as in wombat, etc). A coworker and I were talking yesterday about making a useless phonetic alphabet where "$letter as in $word" would be misleading. Basically what I am looking for are words that start with a letter, but do not sound like they start with that letter. For instance:
K as in knock
M as in mnemonic
P as in pneumatic
W as in write
I'm having some difficulty coming up with any more (K, M, P and W are pretty easy). Any suggestions?
I work on the phone, and frequently find myself spelling things phonetically (A as in alpha, D as in delta, W as in wombat, etc). A coworker and I were talking yesterday about making a useless phonetic alphabet where "$letter as in $word" would be misleading. Basically what I am looking for are words that start with a letter, but do not sound like they start with that letter. For instance:
K as in knock
M as in mnemonic
P as in pneumatic
W as in write
I'm having some difficulty coming up with any more (K, M, P and W are pretty easy). Any suggestions?
Depending on your pronunciation, h as in herb (honour, etc). A as in aisle.
posted by jeather at 2:38 PM on May 1, 2011
posted by jeather at 2:38 PM on May 1, 2011
A as in Aesthetician
B as in Bdellium
E as in Eyrie
G as in Gnash
J as in Juan
posted by mumkin at 2:39 PM on May 1, 2011
B as in Bdellium
E as in Eyrie
G as in Gnash
J as in Juan
posted by mumkin at 2:39 PM on May 1, 2011
X as in Xylophone
G as in gnash
E as in ennui (maybe? its a little misleading )
posted by milestogo at 2:39 PM on May 1, 2011
G as in gnash
E as in ennui (maybe? its a little misleading )
posted by milestogo at 2:39 PM on May 1, 2011
X as in Xylophone is pretty standard. There's no other way to pronounce and initial x, as far as I know.
posted by empath at 2:40 PM on May 1, 2011
posted by empath at 2:40 PM on May 1, 2011
Y as in Ytterbium also could work. It isn't silent as much as misleading.
posted by milestogo at 2:44 PM on May 1, 2011
posted by milestogo at 2:44 PM on May 1, 2011
L as in Lladro
N as in Nguyen
O as in Oesophagus
P as in Phone
posted by mumkin at 2:45 PM on May 1, 2011
N as in Nguyen
O as in Oesophagus
P as in Phone
posted by mumkin at 2:45 PM on May 1, 2011
eh, scratch that. I no longer agree with my previous comment.
posted by milestogo at 2:46 PM on May 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by milestogo at 2:46 PM on May 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
Best answer: There's this old chestnut, a phonetic spelling of "easy":
E as in eye
A as in are
S as in sea
Y as in you
posted by mhum at 2:49 PM on May 1, 2011 [11 favorites]
E as in eye
A as in are
S as in sea
Y as in you
posted by mhum at 2:49 PM on May 1, 2011 [11 favorites]
T as in tsunami. (See Language Log.) D as in djinn.
The bottom of this page gives a whole list, and apparently there's a Barenaked Ladies song. (I found these by googling bdellium mnemonic, because these are two words that have nothing in common except having silent first letters.)
posted by madcaptenor at 2:53 PM on May 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
The bottom of this page gives a whole list, and apparently there's a Barenaked Ladies song. (I found these by googling bdellium mnemonic, because these are two words that have nothing in common except having silent first letters.)
posted by madcaptenor at 2:53 PM on May 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
Surely this would only be a useless phonetic alphabet if the listener couldn't spell the words you've chosen.
I mean, the point of the words is not so much for their first letter to sound like the letter of the alphabet you intend to convey but more that the person listening can figure out which letter you mean from the spelling of the word you've used.
All these suggestions are perfectly usable as long as the both of you know how to spell them correctly.
posted by davidjohnfox at 2:54 PM on May 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
I mean, the point of the words is not so much for their first letter to sound like the letter of the alphabet you intend to convey but more that the person listening can figure out which letter you mean from the spelling of the word you've used.
All these suggestions are perfectly usable as long as the both of you know how to spell them correctly.
posted by davidjohnfox at 2:54 PM on May 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
Also, how is "sfumato" pronounced in English?
posted by madcaptenor at 2:55 PM on May 1, 2011
posted by madcaptenor at 2:55 PM on May 1, 2011
"Surely this would only be a useless phonetic alphabet if the listener couldn't spell the words you've chosen.
I mean, the point of the words is not so much for their first letter to sound like the letter of the alphabet you intend to convey but more that the person listening can figure out which letter you mean from the spelling of the word you've used. "
Yes. More accurately, the word is supposed to be one that wouldn't be a real word if the initial letter was replaced by another that could be mishead for it.
posted by turkeyphant at 3:03 PM on May 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
I mean, the point of the words is not so much for their first letter to sound like the letter of the alphabet you intend to convey but more that the person listening can figure out which letter you mean from the spelling of the word you've used. "
Yes. More accurately, the word is supposed to be one that wouldn't be a real word if the initial letter was replaced by another that could be mishead for it.
posted by turkeyphant at 3:03 PM on May 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
I honestly used to use P as in Pneumonia when I worked in a pulmonary clinic. Broke up the monotony.
Qadhafi is both timely and works for Q, although you could be really awful and use it for K and G while you're there.
posted by cobaltnine at 3:04 PM on May 1, 2011
Qadhafi is both timely and works for Q, although you could be really awful and use it for K and G while you're there.
posted by cobaltnine at 3:04 PM on May 1, 2011
P as in pterodactyl.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 3:22 PM on May 1, 2011
posted by Admiral Haddock at 3:22 PM on May 1, 2011
Also, how is "sfumato" pronounced in English?
It wouldn't work for 'S' as the 'S' in sfumato isn't silent.
posted by ellieBOA at 3:24 PM on May 1, 2011
It wouldn't work for 'S' as the 'S' in sfumato isn't silent.
posted by ellieBOA at 3:24 PM on May 1, 2011
K as in knight
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 5:26 PM on May 1, 2011
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 5:26 PM on May 1, 2011
ellieBOA: thanks. "sfumato" is one of those words I've never heard spoken.
posted by madcaptenor at 5:34 PM on May 1, 2011
posted by madcaptenor at 5:34 PM on May 1, 2011
D as in Djinn.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 5:38 PM on May 1, 2011
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 5:38 PM on May 1, 2011
Q as in Qi (pronounced 'Chee')
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 5:38 PM on May 1, 2011
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 5:38 PM on May 1, 2011
Best answer: A as in Aesthetician
A as in aisle.
B as in Bdellium
C as in chthonic
C as in Cnidaria
C as in Czar
D as in Djibouti
D as in Djinn.
E as in eye
E as in ennui (maybe? its a little misleading )
E as in Euclid?
E as in Euler
E as in ewer?
E as in Eyrie
G as in Gnash
G as in gnome, gnarly
h as in herb (honour, etc).
H as in Herb (depending on where you're from.)
J as in Jalapeño.
J as in Juan
K as in knock
K as in knight
L as in Lladro
M as in mnemonic
N as in Nguyen
O as in Oesophagus
P as in Phone
P as in Pneumonia when I worked in a pulmonary clinic. Broke up the monotony.
P as in pneumatic
P as in ptarmigan
P as in pterodactyl.
Q as in Qi (pronounced 'Chee')
Q as in Qadhafi is both timely and works for Q, although you could be really awful and use it for K and G while you're there.
S as in sea
T as in tsunami. (See Language Log.) D as in djinn.
T as in Tsar
W as in write
X as in Xylophone
Y as in you
Y as in Ytterbium also could work. It isn't silent as much as misleading.
Inspiring question. Thanks.
posted by mearls at 6:14 PM on May 1, 2011 [2 favorites]
A as in aisle.
B as in Bdellium
C as in chthonic
C as in Cnidaria
C as in Czar
D as in Djibouti
D as in Djinn.
E as in eye
E as in ennui (maybe? its a little misleading )
E as in Euclid?
E as in Euler
E as in ewer?
E as in Eyrie
G as in Gnash
G as in gnome, gnarly
h as in herb (honour, etc).
H as in Herb (depending on where you're from.)
J as in Jalapeño.
J as in Juan
K as in knock
K as in knight
L as in Lladro
M as in mnemonic
N as in Nguyen
O as in Oesophagus
P as in Phone
P as in Pneumonia when I worked in a pulmonary clinic. Broke up the monotony.
P as in pneumatic
P as in ptarmigan
P as in pterodactyl.
Q as in Qi (pronounced 'Chee')
Q as in Qadhafi is both timely and works for Q, although you could be really awful and use it for K and G while you're there.
S as in sea
T as in tsunami. (See Language Log.) D as in djinn.
T as in Tsar
W as in write
X as in Xylophone
Y as in you
Y as in Ytterbium also could work. It isn't silent as much as misleading.
Inspiring question. Thanks.
posted by mearls at 6:14 PM on May 1, 2011 [2 favorites]
E as in ewer?
I like "e as in ewe" for its confusingness.
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 11:44 PM on May 1, 2011
I like "e as in ewe" for its confusingness.
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 11:44 PM on May 1, 2011
If you just want confusing and useless, maybe some of these?
A as in am
B as in bam
C as in cam
D as in dam
...
G as is gam
H as in ham
J as in jam
...
L as in lam
M as in ma'am
...
P as in Pam
...
R as in ram
S as is Sam
T as in tam
...
W as in wham
...
Y as is yam
...
posted by chazlarson at 5:13 AM on May 2, 2011 [1 favorite]
A as in am
B as in bam
C as in cam
D as in dam
...
G as is gam
H as in ham
J as in jam
...
L as in lam
M as in ma'am
...
P as in Pam
...
R as in ram
S as is Sam
T as in tam
...
W as in wham
...
Y as is yam
...
posted by chazlarson at 5:13 AM on May 2, 2011 [1 favorite]
Best answer: If you can't make it phonetically difficult, you can at least make it difficult or distracting to parse.
I as in in.
R as in ... ready?...
posted by Kriegsman at 2:07 PM on May 2, 2011 [2 favorites]
I as in in.
R as in ... ready?...
posted by Kriegsman at 2:07 PM on May 2, 2011 [2 favorites]
Maybe you need to resort to proper names?
F as in Flewelling
I as in Iago/Ianto
U as in Usama
Z as in Zapatista (sounds like an s?)
posted by flarb at 6:52 AM on May 3, 2011
F as in Flewelling
I as in Iago/Ianto
U as in Usama
Z as in Zapatista (sounds like an s?)
posted by flarb at 6:52 AM on May 3, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
D as in Djibouti
C as in Cnidaria
posted by theodolite at 2:32 PM on May 1, 2011