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> `nato bar` returns Bravo Alfa Romeo. I use this most often when talking to customer service and need to read out a long alphanumeric string, which has only happened a couple of times in my whole life. But it’s sometimes useful!

Even more useful is just learning the ICAO Spelling Alphabet (aka NATO Phonetic Alphabet, of which it is neither). It takes like an afternoon and is useful in many situations, even if the receiver does not know it.



Some time ago I tried to tell my email address to someone in Japan over the phone who did not speak English very well. It turned out to be basically impossible. I realized later one could probably come up with a phonetic alphabet of English words most Japanese know!




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