From: benlizro@ihug.co.nz   
      
   Last of the Navajo code-talkers of World War II.   
   They transmitted radio messages in Navajo, a language which could not be   
   understood by the enemy.   
      
   Things I didn't know:   
      
   Other languages were used this way: Choctaw, Cherokee and Comanche in   
   WWI; and Hopi, Mohawk and Tlingit in WWII. And Cree, by the Canadians.   
      
   There was a word-alphabet (of the "Alpha-Bravo-Charlie" kind), but based   
   on initials of English words, which were then translated:   
   	A	ant	wol-la-chee   
   	B	bear	shush   
   	C	cat	moasi   
   	etc.   
      
   Words for modern warfare devices used a lot of animal metaphors. (I   
   don't know if this is how ordinary civilian Navajo named them, or if it   
   was to avoid too-obvious English loanwords.)   
      
   So an example:   
      
   Original: Request artillery and tank fire at 123B, Company E move 50   
   yards left flank of Company D.   
      
   Coded: Ask for many big guns and tortoise fire at 123 Bear tail drop   
   Mexican ear mouse owl victor elk 50 yards left flank ocean fish Mexican deer   
      
   Then translate word by word into Navajo.   
      
   (I'm not sure I follow that in detail, but you get the idea.   
   Crystal's source is _Navajo Weapon_ by Sally McLain (1994).)   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)