Dear Bill, Thanks for that reference. I found it on page 113 of the English translation. You are right that the original reference is to an 'abbreviation'.
I was alway taught that the 'symbol' was SI. Clearly, I have been in error for a number of years. Thanks again for the reference, and please ignore my previous posting on this issue. Cheers, Pat Naughtin LCAMS Geelong, Australia Pat Naughtin is the editor of the free online newsletter, 'Metrication matters'. You can subscribe by sending an email containing the words subscribe Metrication matters to [EMAIL PROTECTED] on 2003-06-12 18.34, Bill Potts at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > Pat: > >> From IEEE/ASTM SI 10: > > The name International System of Units and the international abbreviation SI > (from Le Système International d'Unités) were adopted by the 11th CGPM in > 1960. > > The SI Brochure, itself, says (as one of the decisions of the 11th CGPM): > > 1. the system founded on the six base units above is called the “Système > International d’Unités”; > > 2. the international abbreviation of the name of the system is: SI; > > ... > > > Bill Potts, CMS > Roseville, CA > http://metric1.org [SI Navigator] > > > >> -----Original Message----- >> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >> Behalf Of Pat Naughtin >> Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2003 00:54 >> To: U.S. Metric Association >> Subject: [USMA:26025] RE: my German friend never heard of SI >> >> >> Dear Bill and All, >> >> I have followed your discussion in support of a rigorous definition of the >> word, acronym, and I can see the distinctions that you are making. >> >> However, I have always understood that the designers of Le Système >> International d'Unités alway intended that the letters SI should >> be a symbol >> for Le Système International d'Unités as it is a symbol for The >> International System of Units. >> >> In this sense the word 'symbol' was intended in its algebraic sense. I >> believe that the designers of SI were deeply impressed by their success in >> forming an algebraically sound system of units that was profoundly >> coherent.. >> >> They were not about to let the name for this system be either an >> 'abbreviation' or an 'acronym'; it had to be a symbol in the same >> sense that >> the symbol for metres per second (m/s) is made up of the three symbols >> metres, m division, /, and seconds, s. >> >> Cheers, >> >> Pat Naughtin >> Geelong Australia >> >> Pat Naughtin is the editor of the online newsletter, 'Metrication matters'. >> You can subscribe by sending an email containing the word subscribe to >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> >> on 2003-06-12 12.54, Bill Potts at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: >> >>> A definitive description of what an acronym is and is not is in >> the New York >>> Public Library Desk Reference. Here it is: >>>> Acronyms are pronounceable formations made by combining the >> initial letters >>>> or syllables of a string of words. Some abbreviations look like >> acronyms, but >>>> are listed as abbreviations because they are not pronounced as >> words, for >>>> example, CIA (usually pronounced "C-I-A") and DAR (usually pronounced >>>> "D-A-R"). A few acronyms may be pronounced either as words ("REM") or as >>>> abbreviations ("R-E-M"). >>> So, unless SI is usually pronounced as "si" (see) or "sigh," it >> is simply an >>> abbreviation. "S-I" (ess eye) puts it squarely in the >> abbreviation category. >>> >>> Incidentally, I wear several hats (figurative ones), of which >> one is that of >>> professional writer (two published books, many papers and presentations, >>> several articles, and a number of manuals, seminars and >> courses), so I've been >>> around this particular block (the acronym argument) quite a few times. >>> Bill Potts, CMS >>> Roseville, CA >>> http://metric1.org [SI Navigator] >>> >>> >>>> -----Original Message----- >>>> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of >>>> Norman & Nancy >> Werling >>>> Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2003 19:00 >>>> To: U.S. Metric Association >>>> Subject: [USMA:26020] RE: my German friend never heard of SI >>>> >>> Re: Acronyms >>> >>> My Webster's New World Dictionary, Second College Edition, >> latest © in 1976 >>> says that radar is an example of an acronym, "radio detecting >> and ranging" (ra >>> d a r). Until I got interested in this acronym debate, I >> certainly did not >>> kknow that about the word 'radar'. >>> >>> BTW, I pronounce "SI" as "ess eye". >>> >>> Norm >>> ----- Original Message ----- >>>> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>>> To: U.S. Metric Association <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>>> Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2003 21:44 >>>> Subject: [USMA:26019] RE: my German friend never heard of SI >>>> >>>> In a message dated 2003-06-11 20:40:43 Eastern Daylight Time, >>>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: >>>> >>>>> *acronym* A word formed by the combining of initial letters of a series >>>>> of words or syllables and letters of a series of words or a >> compound term. >>>>> Funk &Wagnalls Dictionary, International Edition. >>>>> >>>>> In my opinion, the two-character "symbol" *SI* may be correctly called >>>>> an "acronym" or an "abbreviation." >>>>> >>>> >>>> The word usually has to be pronounceable as such to be a true >> acronym. The >>>> New York City Transit Authority had a subsidiary formed when >> they took over >>>> the Fifth Avenue Coach Lines in 1962 called the Manhattan And >> Bronx Surface >>>> Transit Operating Authority; New Yorkers actually pronounced >> the word made >>>> from the initials of this. >>>> >>>> cm >>>> >
