Delta, Echo, Alpha, Foxtrot. Mike, Oscar, Romeo, Oscar, November.

People who are hard of hearing. A bad telephone or cellular connection. The person on the other end of the line is a flippin' moron. These are all reasons why when you rattle off a series of letters over the phone to spell a word no one ever seems to understand no matter how well you enunciate.

To solve this issue people use a phonetic alphabet (of sorts) to aid in conveying the information accurately. However, there isn't really a standard version of this being used by the general population. A phone call or exchange without phonetics usually turns into a game of Pictionary with one person shouting out random words that look nothing like what is actually being drawn.

How the hell did you get 'Spruce Goose' from that? It's a damn lawnmower! See, there is the motor and the handle. That? That is the grass being cut. What do you mean the grass looks like people? I don't see any arms and legs on the grass, do you? Have you been smoking grass, woman? Because you have to be high to think that was a damn plane. Yes I will be comfortable sleeping on the couch tonight, thank you!

Example: you are forced to spell your name out because the person on the other end can't get it right (moron). Hedey...I mean Hedley Lamarr turns into "Howard, eagle, domino, lettuce, easy, yellow. Loquacious, anteater, Mike, apple, Ringo, rutabaga". Sure, that makes sense in the flame engulfed asylum that is your head, but the other guy is probably a wee bit freaked out and very confused.

NATO has a phonetic alphabet that has been in use since 1956 that was designed for this purpose. The next time you're required to spell out a word over the phone try using the designations provided in this list. This way your friend will have his name spelled correctly on his trial issue of that magazine with the opaque wrapping on it - so there is no confusion when his wife grabs the mail.

NATO phonetic alphabet. (Wikipedia)