Uploaded October 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Let’s uncover the secrets of the NATO phonetic alphabet! 🌏 And you can get an exclusive NordVPN deal + 4 months extra here → nordvpn.com/robwordsvpn It’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money-back guarantee! ✌️
The NATO phonetic alphabet is not a phonetic alphabet and wasn't invented by NATO. However, it has a fascinating story to tell. It is the result of years of linguistic experimentation in the wake of the violence of World War II. So let's explore its development, from ALFA to ZULU.
In this episode, we'll uncover the surprising story of how this alphabet – used by everyone from pilots to police officers – came to be. And look at the strange words that almost made the cut.
Thank you very much to Derby Aero Club at Derby Airfield for kindly allowing us to film. You can find out more about them here: derbyaeroclub.com
👕COOL TSHIRTS: robwords.com/shop
⭐️PATREON COMMUNITY: patreon.com/robwords
📝FREE NEWSLETTER: robwords.com/newsletter
Check me out on the web, on Twitter & TikTok:
robwords.com
https://x.com/robwordsYT
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Let’s uncover the secrets of the NATO phonetic alphabet! 🌏 And you can get an exclusive NordVPN deal + 4 months extra here → nordvpn.com/robwordsvpn It’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money-back guarantee! ✌️
The NATO phonetic alphabet is not a phonetic alphabet and wasn't invented by NATO. However, it has a fascinating story to tell. It is the result of years of linguistic experimentation in the wake of the violence of World War II. So let's explore its development, from ALFA to ZULU.
In this episode, we'll uncover the surprising story of how this alphabet – used by everyone from pilots to police officers – came to be. And look at the strange words that almost made the cut.
Thank you very much to Derby Aero Club at Derby Airfield for kindly allowing us to film. You can find out more about them here: derbyaeroclub.com
👕COOL TSHIRTS: robwords.com/shop
⭐️PATREON COMMUNITY: patreon.com/robwords
📝FREE NEWSLETTER: robwords.com/newsletter
Check me out on the web, on Twitter & TikTok:
robwords.com
https://x.com/robwordsYT
tiktok.com/@robwords
![NUMPIRE, NAPRON, [N]EWT and other words were getting wrong](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/XBVu4CjYZmo/mqdefault.jpg "NUMPIRE, NAPRON, [N]EWT and other words were getting wrong
Did you know an umpire should actually be a numpire?
Whats more... an apron should be a napron, an adder a nadder, a newt an ewt, and a nickname an ickname. This video explains why on earth that is.
For centuries, English scholars have been accidentally rebracketing words (its also known as metanalysis). Many of their mistakes have stuck in the language, meaning we continue to get these words wrong.
CHAPTERS
0:00 Numpire, napron & nadder
0:27 Explanation of rebracketing
1:20 Newt & nickname
1:44 Evidence in other languages
2:06 Errors that didnt catch on
2:24 Bye bye")
