Han:
I think you mean "metro." "Metrum," if it exists, would surely be a Latin
form.
Bill Potts, CMS
San Jose, CA
http://metric1.org [SI Navigator]
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On
> Behalf Of Han Maenen
> Sent: December 20, 2000 23:49
> To: U.S. Metric Association
> Subject: [USMA:9921] RE: [mdq-fr] [USMA 9891] origin of "metric"
>
>
> The system started from the meter and the unit of mass was
> derived from it.
> This is why it is the Convention of the Meter. It is possible that Borda
> coined the name 'systeme metrique'. It may also refer to the
> general Greek
> term 'metrum', meaning measure.
>
> Han
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "James R. Frysinger" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Sent: woensdag 20 december 2000 19:09
> Subject: [USMA:9901] RE: [mdq-fr] [USMA 9891] origin of "metric"
>
>
> > Right. That much is fairly clear. But why did the system come
> to be called
> the "metric system"? Perhaps that begs the question, why was it
> > the "Convention of the Meter" and not the "Convention of the Kilogram"?
> > The former, of course, might be because the definition of the kilogram
> originally depended on the size of the meter.
> >
> > Jim
> >
> > Bill Potts wrote:
> > >
> > > The original word is mètre and métrique is simply the adjectival form.
> > >
> > > So, simply stated, the name of the system is derived from the
> first unit
> to
> > > be defined.
> > >
> > > The definition of métrique (Larousse, 1983) is "relatif au mètre."
> > >
> > > Of course, we have Méchain and Delambre to thank for "mètre."
> > >
> > > Bill Potts, CMS
> > > San Jose, CA
> > > http://metric1.org [SI Navigator]
> > >
> > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > From: James R.Frysinger [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> > > > Sent: December 20, 2000 06:43
> > > > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > > > Subject: [mdq-fr] origin of "metric"
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > A young (eighth grade) correspondent in Egypt has asked a question I
> > > > cannot answer. Who was it that coined the term "metric" (or perhaps
> > > > "metrique"?) in regards to the metric system. My dictionary
> shows its
> > > > date of origin as 1797. Can we identify the person who suggested the
> > > > term?
> > > >
> > > > Jim Frysinger
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > James R. Frysinger University/College of Charleston
> > > > 10 Captiva Row Dept. of Physics and Astronomy
> > > > Charleston, SC 29407 66 George Street
> > > > 843.225.0805 Charleston, SC 29424
> > > > http://www.cofc.edu/~frysingj [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > > > Cert. Adv. Metrication Specialist 843.953.7644
> > > >
> >
> > --
> > Metric Methods(SM) "Don't be late to metricate!"
> > James R. Frysinger, CAMS http://www.metricmethods.com/
> > 10 Captiva Row e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > Charleston, SC 29407 phone/FAX: 843.225.6789
> >
> >
> >
>
>
