Brij: I'm not sure why you regard national variations in the spelling of metric units as a problem. As long as there is international agreement to correctly use the SI symbols and prefixes, we have the consistency we need.
Incidentally, the U.S. spelling of meter is consistent with, among others, that of the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway and Sweden (and with Germany, although they use a capital M). Bill Potts, CMS Roseville, CA http://metric1.org [SI Navigator] Just seen: Is spelling Part of SI Rules? in the Metric Today (2002 July - August). And, WHY NOT? If..... I may enquire! Let's face it square. US American National Standard (ANSI) IEE/ASTM SI 10 uses the 'meter' spelling and so does the American dictionaries and the feeding into *computers for WORD* correcting these spelling the world over, where there is use of LENGTH unit. But, how does the computer relate to this word: whether or not the 'meter' used in the sentence was meant to be the measurement of any quantity related to ANY REFERENCE like the road distances, the electrical energy, the flow of current or the count of coins in the bank/casino OR it is supposed to refer to the length unit *METER*; unless it meant to letting the 'confusion' rein! Systeme International d'Unites (SI - is used for all languages), I find *no reason* that different countries continue to use different spelling for the use of length unit METRE - the one used and recommended by CCU. I may be NO BODY, but shall suggest that Oxford or Webster's Dictionary too follow the SI Metre to represent the distance 'metre' for length; more so 'all units of SI should follow a universal system and spell units the same way' .
