Kiltie, you say that it is correct to ask someone to sqwark Alpha 1234, even though they are not referring to the Alpha mode, but to something you can't remember.
Now, I know I am being a bit picky, but some of you controllers come over so precious! What the heck are you on about? There should never be an instruction given that is not clear and obvious, that is the whole rationale for our bastardised UK phraseology. CAP 413 has been made into somewhat of a mess in an effort to avoid ambiguity. So are you really trying to tell us that the instruction to sqwark alpha 1234 makes any sense when it has (if you are correct) nothing to do with mode alpha?
If no one, including you, knows what this "alpha" bit is for, it strikes me that it should be expunged as soon as possible.
You controllers go on about cutting out unnecessary verbage, but you do it yourselves and even stick up for it!