Bill is absolutely right. SI only standardizes symbols of units and quantities, not fully written unit and quantity names in the various languages. SI symbols are mathematical symbols.
Suppose the Netherlands used a wrong symbol like vm (full: vierkante meter), analogous to qm (Quadratmeter) and had to replace the symbol by m2, we would continue to say in full 'vierkante meter' to give an area, not 'meter in het vierkant' for this purpose. 'Meter in het vierkant' is the same as in English: 100 meter in het vierkant or 100 meter square, is a square of 100 by 100 m and not 100 m2. Meterquadrat means meter square. To repeat: Only *symbols* are standardized for all languages. Han ----- Original Message ----- From: "Wizard of OS" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, December 22, 2001 8:06 PM Subject: [USMA:16765] Here's my evidence for Kilometerquadrat! I finally got the book. ISBN 3528069872 Page 318 Quote: Quadrat...(q) 1) Seit Ende 1974 lautet die richtige Bezeichnung <i>Meterquadrat</i> statt "Quadratmeter", Kilometerquadrat statt "Quadratkilometer" usw. 2) Seit Ende 197 sind verboten die Abk�rzungen: qcm f�r cm�, qkm f�r km� usw. End quote all new definitions all valid from 1975 thru DIN and are the only legal terms. the same applies f�r Sekundequadrat!
