"Mxsmanic" wrote:

********. One has two syllables, the other only one.

There's a lot more to human speech than syllables. Only a single
phoneme separates the two in many pronunciations (particularly because
restricted bandwidth can limit the intelligibility of fricative
consonants), and that phoneme sounds very much like an unstressed
central hesitation vowel, which means it may not be heard at all.
This is especially true for non-rhotic speakers.

That is why we say "niner." In practice, it works very well to distinguish
nine from five..

You haven't spent much time communicating via aircraft radios, have you?

How much time have you spent studying phonetics and linguistics? They
are just as relevant here as experience with aircraft radios.

One semester in college. My guess is that's a lot longer than you've spent
talking to ATC.

However, I don't think a wealth or dearth of experience in any domain
need be a prerequisite to discussion. And I think it more productive
to discuss the topic at hand than to direct personal attacks at anyone
with whom one disagrees.

When it becomes apparent that an argument is born of ignorance, it is
appropriate to point that out. That is not a personal attack. I did not
impugn your character, merely noted the obvious: WRT aircraft radio
communications, you do not know what you are talking about.

You began this thread with the unfounded assertion that "improper and
misunderstood radio communication is a leading cause of accidents." When
Emily challenged you for evidence, you used the old, lame usenet dodge of
telling her to look it up herself. Since then, you have attempted to create
an argument based on phonetics to support a faulty premise. Your five vs.
niner attempt is the weakest yet, and you would not even have tried it if
you had any experience on the radio.

--
Dan
C172RG at BFM