Pat, Is there any language other then English where there is a spelling dimlema such as this?
Jerry ________________________________ From: Pat Naughtin <[email protected]> To: U.S.. Metric Association <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, January 25, 2009 4:37:20 PM Subject: [USMA:42561] Re: Going metric would be nice global gesture | ajc.com On 2009/01/26, at 4:09 AM, Jeremiah MacGregor wrote: Stephen, I know that there are different spellings of meter that depend on language, such as metro in Spanish. But which is the right spelling for English. I always thought it was meter. Why do you use metre? It looks like it should be pronounced as met-ra or met-tray. I thought the meter has been the same since its inception and has never changed. When has it changed and then by how much? I know our English units have changed many times in history and that many places had their own forms. But I thought the metric system was free of this problem. Now, isn't the word meter (or metre) derived from the Greek word metron, meaning a measure? So, why do you say this word is French? I wasn't aware that Napoleon had anything to do with the names of the units. I thought some scientists came up with the names. I am neither pro or anti metric either. I use what I'm confronted with. I don't need to convert metric to English if it is used, nor do I need to convert English to metric if it is used. I'm sure it would be better if only one is used, but for now we have both. I'm afraid I'm not up on American politics as much as I should be, so I know even less about the EU or Europe. I'm sure the EU serves some valuable function or it would not have lasted so long and nations would be leaving instead of joining. Jerry Dear Jerry, As you are new on this list, you might not have seen this article: http://www.metricationmatters.com/docs/Spelling_metre_or_meter.pdf Cheers, Pat Naughtin PO Box 305 Belmont 3216, Geelong, Australia Phone: 61 3 5241 2008 Metric system consultant, writer, and speaker, Pat Naughtin, has helped thousands of people and hundreds of companies upgrade to the modern metric system smoothly, quickly, and so economically that they now save thousands each year when buying, processing, or selling for their businesses. Pat provides services and resources for many different trades, crafts, and professions for commercial, industrial and government metrication leaders in Asia, Europe, and in the USA. Pat's clients include the Australian Government, Google, NASA, NIST, and the metric associations of Canada, the UK, and the USA. See http://www.metricationmatters.com for more metrication information, contact Pat at [email protected] or to get the free 'Metrication matters' newsletter go to: http://www.metricationmatters.com/newsletter to subscribe.
