On 22/05/06 2:22 PM, "Pierre Abbat" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> On Sunday 21 May 2006 21:19, Pat Naughtin wrote: >> Above all of the above are the letters BIPM and below the figures are the >> words: >> >> METRO XPO >> >> Can anyone help me with a translation of METRO XPO? > > "?????" could be either "?????", the dative case of "??????" "measure" or > "meter" (which should have an iota subscript), or "?????" "I measure" or "you > measure yourself or for yourself". "???" is the second person middle form of > "???????/???????", which is glossed as "use", but is used in some New > Testament contexts where "use" would make no sense (e.g. 1 Cor. 7:21 "But if > you can become free, rather use" - in modern English we say "go ahead"). It > can't mean "I use" because the verb is deponent - it has no active voice. So > it could mean something like "use it for measuring", but without the accent > or the iota subscript I can't tell what "?????" means, and without more > context I can't tell what "???" means. So your best bet is to ask the BIPM. > > Pierre > Dear Pierre, I have received this translation from the librarian at BIPM. > > The motto on the medal of the BIPM is Metro Kro: "Use the measure" (in > French « Utilise la mesure » « Sers-toi de la mesure ») > Cheers, Pat Naughtin Geelong, Australia
