Metrication for All, has led a real but avoidable confusion among lovers of Metric Reform: *my German friend never heard of SI* and FFUers putting their bit has seen quite a run in dictionaries and traditions of the past - the crux being 'Systeme Internationale d'Unites (SI in all languages' is and should remain 'ees-eye' as initialised, unless BIPM/CGPM is desirous to its reformed version into an abbreviation: SIU, UIS or USI.
Regards,
Brij Bhushan Vij <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Aa Nau Bhadra Kritvo Yantu Vishwatah -Rg Veda.
*****The New Calendar Rhyme*****
Thirty days in July, September:
April, June, November, December;
All the rest have thirty-one; accepting February alone:
Which hath but twenty-nine, to be (in) fine;
Till leap year gives the whole week READY:
Is it not time to MODIFY or change to make it perennial, Oh Daddy!
And make the calendar work with Leap Week Rule! ***** ***** ***** *****
From: "Joseph B. Reid" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [USMA:26043] RE: my German friend never heard of SI Date: Thu, 12 Jun 2003 21:12:14 -0400
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
------- End of Original Message ------->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
-- Joseph B. Reid 17 Glebe Road West Toronto M5P 1C8 Telephone 416-486-6071
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