The BIPM has not standardized the spelling of metric units, only that of symbols. It has only accepted the British -re spelling for its own purposes, that is the only reason why it is used in the brochure. There is nothing there which prescribes the spelling of metric units in full. In Irish the SU unit of length is 'meadar', in Dutch and German it is 'meter', just as in the US. China and Russia have their won words for metric units.
Han ----- Original Message ----- From: "Carleton MacDonald" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Sunday, 2004-02-15 14:50 Subject: [USMA:28698] RE: Metric in Montgomery Co. > My own opinion: > > I couldn't care less if it's spelled meter, metre, etc. > > What bothers me is when it's spelled inch, pound, ounce, mile ... > > Carleton > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Behalf Of Bill Hooper > Sent: Saturday, February 14, 2004 11:07 > To: U.S. Metric Association > Subject: [USMA:28684] RE: Metric in Montgomery Co. > > > Stan Doore wrote: > > the printed press style manual standards of writing mandate that liter > > and meter spelling be used. > > WHOSE style manual is that? Is it the Associated Press Style Manual? Or > the federal government style manual? It is not the US Metric > Association Style guide. > > I don't know for sure about the AP style guide, but I know that some > rule (perhaps the federal government style guide, if there is such a > thing) requires federal govt. docs to use the meter-liter spelling. > > But I also know that the USMA stye guide ("Metric Units of Measure and > Style Guide) uses the metre-litre spelling. It does not address this > issue by stating it as a rule, but it intrinsically approves the -re > spelling by its practice of using it. > > I do know that some other publications of USMA are written using the > -er spelling because they are used by federal agencies. Federal > agencies would not adopt them if the -re spelling were used. USMA gave > up the battle on that one in hopes of ultimately winning the war. Even > in those publications, however, there is usually a disclaimer someplace > stating that the -re spellings are also correct. > > Regards, > Bill Hooper > Fernandina Beach, Florida, USA > > >
