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Colonial wireless alphabet: Difference between revisions

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The '''Colonial wireless alphabet''' is a means of communicating letters via words, thus permitting clarity when communicating spellings over [[wireless]]. This is similar to the [[Wikipedia:NATO phonetic alphabet|NATO phonetic alphabet]] used for [[Wikipedia:radio|radio]] communications.
The '''Colonial Wireless Alphabet (CWA)'''<ref>{{bsgwiki term}}</ref> is a means of communicating letters via words, thus permitting clarity when communicating spellings over [[wireless]]. This is similar to the [[Wikipedia:NATO phonetic alphabet|NATO phonetic alphabet]] used for [[Wikipedia:radio|radio]] communications.


The following is a list of words used in the CWA. At present, only nine have been [[canon]]ically identified.
The following is a list of words used in the CWA. At present, only ten have been [[canon]]ically identified.


{| cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" class="messagebox"
{| cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" class="messagebox"
Line 7: Line 7:
! Letter !!align=left| Word !!align=left| Pronunciation
! Letter !!align=left| Word !!align=left| Pronunciation
|-
|-
|align=center|'''A'''||Alpha <ref name="bastille">'''Kara Thrace:''' Three assault teams, Alpha, Bravo, Constellation. ([[Bastille Day]])</ref> <ref name="scattered">'''Lee Adama:''' Sierra Alpha, we got a new bogey. ([[Scattered]])</ref> <ref name="rs2">'''William Adama:''' Order batteries alpha through echo to switch to salvo fire. ([[Resurrection Ship, Part II]])</ref> || {{IPA|ˈæl.fə}}
|align=center|'''A'''||Alpha/Alfa <ref>In the NATO phonetic alphabet, "Alpha" is spelled "Alfa," in consideration of Spanish orthography.</ref> <ref name="bastille">'''Kara Thrace:''' Three assault teams, Alpha, Bravo, Constellation. {{TRS|Bastille Day}}</ref> <ref name="scattered">'''Lee Adama:''' Sierra Alpha, we got a new bogey. {{TRS|Scattered}}</ref> <ref name="rs2">'''William Adama:''' Order batteries alpha through echo to switch to salvo fire. {{TRS|Resurrection Ship, Part II}}</ref> || {{IPA|ˈæl.fə}}
|-
|-
|align=center|'''B'''||Bravo <ref name="bastille" /> <ref name="hog">'''Freighter Pilot #1:''' Carrier constellation, jump complete on station, point deacon. Initiate search pattern delta.<br>'''Freighter Pilot #2:''' Ore flight bravo, delta, wilco.<br>'''Freighter Pilot #3:''' Ore flight nebula, delta initiated. ([[The Hand of God (RDM)|The Hand of God]])</ref> || {{IPA|ˈbɹɑ.voʊ}}
|align=center|'''B'''||Bravo <ref name="bastille" /> <ref name="hog">'''Freighter Pilot #1:''' Carrier constellation, jump complete on station, point deacon. Initiate search pattern delta.<br>'''Freighter Pilot #2:''' Ore flight bravo, delta, wilco.<br>'''Freighter Pilot #3:''' Ore flight nebula, delta initiated. {{TRS|The Hand of God (RDM)}}</ref> || {{IPA|ˈbɹɑ.voʊ}}
|-
|-
|align=center|'''C'''||Constellation <ref name="bastille" /> <ref name="hog" /> <ref name="mini">'''Galen Tyrol:''' If the commander will take a closer look at the tail numbering... Nebula Seven Two Four Two Constellation. ([[Miniseries]])</ref> || {{IPA|ˌcɑn.stə.ˈleɪ.ʃən}}
|align=center|'''C'''||Constellation <ref name="bastille" /> <ref name="hog" /> <ref name="mini">'''Galen Tyrol:''' If the commander will take a closer look at the tail numbering... Nebula Seven Two Four Two Constellation. {{TRS|Miniseries}}</ref> || {{IPA|ˌcɑn.stə.ˈleɪ.ʃən}}
|-  
|-  
|align=center|'''D'''||Delta <ref name="hog" /> || {{IPA|ˈdɛl.tə}}
|align=center|'''D'''||Delta <ref name="hog" /> || {{IPA|ˈdɛl.tə}}
|-  
|-  
|align=center|'''E'''||Echo <ref name="rs2" /> || {{IPA|ˈɛ.koʊ}}
|align=center|'''E'''||Echo <ref name="rs2" /> || {{IPA|ˈɛ.koʊ}}
|-
|align=center|'''G'''||Gamma <ref name="razor"> This is part of [[Kendra Shaw]]'s access code, which she gives to [[Gina Inviere]] {{TRS|Razor}}.</ref> || {{IPA|ˈgamə}}
|-
|-
|align=center|'''N'''||Nebula <ref name="hog" /> <ref name="mini" /> || {{IPA|ˈnɛb.ju.lə}}
|align=center|'''N'''||Nebula <ref name="hog" /> <ref name="mini" /> || {{IPA|ˈnɛb.ju.lə}}
Line 21: Line 23:
|align=center|'''S'''||Sierra <ref name="scattered" /> || {{IPA|si.ˈɛɹˌɹə}}
|align=center|'''S'''||Sierra <ref name="scattered" /> || {{IPA|si.ˈɛɹˌɹə}}
|-
|-
|align=center|'''T'''||Tango <ref name="finalcut">'''Grayshirt:''' Tango 1, Tango 1, Tango 1, weapons close 2-4-1 ([[Final Cut]])</ref> || {{IPA|tăng'gō}}
|align=center|'''T'''||Tango <ref name="finalcut">'''Grayshirt:''' Tango 1, Tango 1, Tango 1, weapons close 2-4-1 {{TRS|Final Cut}}</ref> || {{IPA|tăng'gō}}
|-
|-
|align=center|'''X'''||X-ray <ref name="exodus">'''Saul Tigh:''' Cally's in a group heading for map coordinates X-ray Seven ([[Exodus, Part I]])</ref> || {{IPA|ɛks.'ɹeɪ}}
|align=center|'''X'''||X-ray <ref name="exodus">'''Saul Tigh:''' Cally's in a group heading for map coordinates X-ray Seven {{TRS|Exodus, Part I}}</ref> || {{IPA|ɛks.'ɹeɪ}}
|}
|}


== Notes ==
== Notes ==


*In the NATO phonetic alphabet, "Alpha" is spelled "Alfa", in consideration of Spanish orthography. Depending on how literally one interprets certain scenes, Spanish (or a language represented by Spanish) may be [[Language in the Twelve Colonies#Spanish Accent|spoken]] in the twelve colonies. Our use of the traditional English spelling here is somewhat arbitrary.
*"[[Wikipedia:Voice procedure|Wilco]]" is not a CWA letter code. It means "will comply," matching its real usage.
*"[[Wikipedia:Voice procedure|Wilco]]" is not a CWA letter code. It means "will comply," matching its real usage.
*"Colonial wireless alphabet" is a descriptive term, not a [[canon|canonical]] designation.
*While the Colonial wireless alphabet borrows from the NATO phonetic alphabet, there are exceptions because they have Earth-specific references and are unlikely to be known to the Colonials. Examples: India and Quebec (Earth locations), Romeo and Juliet (Shakespearean characters), and Yankee and Zulu (regional and ethnic groups of Earth).
*While the Colonial wireless alphabet has some terms in common with the NATO phonetic alphabet, there are a few used by NATO which are highly unlikely to be used by Colonial forces. Specifically, India and Quebec (as they are locations on Earth), Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare lived and wrote on Earth), and Yankee and Zulu (as they refer to specific peoples of Earth). Of course, Sierra refers to an earthly location as well, although as a geographical rather than (relatively recent) cultural feature, perhaps it forms part of the Colonies mythology of Earth?
*The [[Battlestar Galactica Role Playing Game|''Battlestar Galactica'' Role Playing Game]] includes a complete listing of the wireless alphabet, though the full list has not been verified as canon.  The additions supplied by the game are as follows (direct analogues to the NATO phonetic alphabet marked with an asterisk):
 
 
{| cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" class="messagebox"
|-
! Letter !!align=left| Word !!align=left|
|-
|align=center|'''F'''||Foxtrot*
|-
|align=center|'''H'''||Hotel*
|-
|align=center|'''I'''||Icon
|-
|align=center|'''J'''||Juno
|-
|align=center|'''K'''||Kilo*
|-
|align=center|'''L'''||Logo
|-
|align=center|'''M'''||Meteor
|-
|align=center|'''O'''||Oscar*
|-
|align=center|'''P'''||Papa*
|-
|align=center|'''Q'''||Quasar
|-
|align=center|'''R'''||Rho
|-
|align=center|'''U'''||Uniform*
|-
|align=center|'''V'''||Victor*
|-
|align=center|'''W'''||Whiskey*
|-
|align=center|'''Y'''||Yellow
|-
|align=center|'''Z'''||Zephyr
|-
|}


== Sources ==
== References ==
<references />
{{reflist}}


[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:A to Z]]
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[[Category:Colonial Military]]
[[Category:Colonial Military]]
[[Category:Colonial Military (RDM)]]
[[Category:Colonial Military (RDM)]]
[[Category:Descriptive terms]]
[[Category:Terminology]]
[[Category:Terminology]]
[[Category:Terminology (RDM)]]
[[Category:Terminology (RDM)]]
[[Category:RDM]]
[[Category:RDM]]

Latest revision as of 22:22, 20 February 2024

The Colonial Wireless Alphabet (CWA)[1] is a means of communicating letters via words, thus permitting clarity when communicating spellings over wireless. This is similar to the NATO phonetic alphabet used for radio communications.

The following is a list of words used in the CWA. At present, only ten have been canonically identified.

Letter Word Pronunciation
A Alpha/Alfa [2] [3] [4] [5] [ˈæl.fə]
B Bravo [3] [6] [ˈbɹɑ.voʊ]
C Constellation [3] [6] [7] [ˌcɑn.stə.ˈleɪ.ʃən]
D Delta [6] [ˈdɛl.tə]
E Echo [5] [ˈɛ.koʊ]
G Gamma [8] [ˈgamə]
N Nebula [6] [7] [ˈnɛb.ju.lə]
S Sierra [4] [si.ˈɛɹˌɹə]
T Tango [9] [tăng'gō]
X X-ray [10] [ɛks.'ɹeɪ]

Notes[edit]

  • "Wilco" is not a CWA letter code. It means "will comply," matching its real usage.
  • While the Colonial wireless alphabet borrows from the NATO phonetic alphabet, there are exceptions because they have Earth-specific references and are unlikely to be known to the Colonials. Examples: India and Quebec (Earth locations), Romeo and Juliet (Shakespearean characters), and Yankee and Zulu (regional and ethnic groups of Earth).
  • The Battlestar Galactica Role Playing Game includes a complete listing of the wireless alphabet, though the full list has not been verified as canon. The additions supplied by the game are as follows (direct analogues to the NATO phonetic alphabet marked with an asterisk):


Letter Word
F Foxtrot*
H Hotel*
I Icon
J Juno
K Kilo*
L Logo
M Meteor
O Oscar*
P Papa*
Q Quasar
R Rho
U Uniform*
V Victor*
W Whiskey*
Y Yellow
Z Zephyr

References[edit]

  1. ↑ This is a Battlestar Wiki descriptive term.
  2. ↑ In the NATO phonetic alphabet, "Alpha" is spelled "Alfa," in consideration of Spanish orthography.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Kara Thrace: Three assault teams, Alpha, Bravo, Constellation. (TRS: "Bastille Day")
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lee Adama: Sierra Alpha, we got a new bogey. (TRS: "Scattered")
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 William Adama: Order batteries alpha through echo to switch to salvo fire. (TRS: "Resurrection Ship, Part II")
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Freighter Pilot #1: Carrier constellation, jump complete on station, point deacon. Initiate search pattern delta.
    Freighter Pilot #2: Ore flight bravo, delta, wilco.
    Freighter Pilot #3: Ore flight nebula, delta initiated. (TRS: "The Hand of God")
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Galen Tyrol: If the commander will take a closer look at the tail numbering... Nebula Seven Two Four Two Constellation. (TRS: "Miniseries")
  8. ↑ This is part of Kendra Shaw's access code, which she gives to Gina Inviere (TRS: "Razor").
  9. ↑ Grayshirt: Tango 1, Tango 1, Tango 1, weapons close 2-4-1 (TRS: "Final Cut")
  10. ↑ Saul Tigh: Cally's in a group heading for map coordinates X-ray Seven (TRS: "Exodus, Part I")

Re-imagined Series definition: Colonial equivalent of radio

Re-imagined Series definition: "suspicious activity" (TRS: "Scattered")

Re-imagined Series definition: the process of using the FTL engines to make an near-instantaneous apparent faster-than-light transport of a ship from one point in space to another

Re-imagined Series definition: "will comply," the typical terse acceptance to an order given

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