Joe: The message you quote below is without attribution. Can we assume, from USMA: 26042, that the writer was Brian White?
Whoever wrote it, I agree with him, of course. Bill Potts, CMS Roseville, CA http://metric1.org [SI Navigator] >-----Original Message----- >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >Behalf Of Joseph B. Reid >Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2003 18:12 >To: U.S. Metric Association >Subject: [USMA:26043] RE: my German friend never heard of SI > > >>Joe.. >>Why do you insist so hard, when after all the evidence detailing >what is in >>fact an abbreviation, and what is in fact an acronym. SI is NOT >an acronym, >>pretty much end of story. For you to keep insisting that it is, is >>just nonsense. >> >>Why are you having such a hard time with this simple distinction between >>words? I'm very curious. >> >> >>---------- Original Message ----------- >>From: "Joseph B. Reid" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>Sent: Thu, 12 Jun 2003 20:05:30 -0400 >>Subject: [USMA:26041] RE: my German friend never heard of SI >> >>> >Don Hillger wrote in USMA 26038: >>> > >>> >Technically, SI should be called an "initialism" defined below >>> >as distinct from either an acronym or an abbreviation: >>> > >>> >An acronym is composed of the initial letters or parts of a compound >>> >term. It is usually read or spoken as a single word, rather than >>> >letter by letter. Examples include ADEOS (ADvanced Earth Observing >>> >Satellite) and Landsat (Land Satellite). >>> >An initialism is also composed of the initial letters or parts of a >>> >compound term, but is generally verbalized letter by letter, rather >>> >than as a single "word." Examples include ATS (Application >>> >Technology Satellite) and DMSP (Defense Meteorological Satellite >>> >Program). >>> >An abbreviation is a shortened for of a word or words that does not >>> >follow the formation of either of the above. >>> >These definitions come from an acronym/initialism dictionary found >>> >in the reference section of most libraries. >>> > >>> >Since SI is pronounced "ess-eye" it should be an initialism! >>> > >>> Don >>> >>> The metric bible of the BIPM, 1998 edition, refers to "SI" as an >>> "international abbreviation". It is not an initialism for the >>> English title "International System of Units". The best fit is to >>> Don's definition of an acronym: "An acronym is composed of the >>> initial letters or parts of a compound term . It is *usually* read >>> or spoken as a single word". >>> -- >>> Joseph B. Reid >>> 17 Glebe Road West >>> Toronto M5P 1C8 Telephone 416-486-6071 >>------- End of Original Message ------- > > >-- >Joseph B. Reid >17 Glebe Road West >Toronto M5P 1C8 Telephone 416-486-6071 >
