No it doesn't; that's not how language works. They both drop the "e" and keep the "r" (regardless of the order) because the "er" (or "re" if you like) syllable collapses to a non-syllabic "r" when a suffix is added. That's how English morphology works.
What's confusing is that in a few such words in international English that were imported from French, the final syllable is spelled "re". There doesn't seem to be any pattern to this though, since other words are always spelled with "er", even by you folks across the pond. Whether the final syllable collapses when a suffix is added has little to do with whether it is spelled "re" or "er". enter -> entrance has already been pointed out. Other examples include arbiter -> arbitration and neuter -> neutral. --- Michael Palumbo <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > centre central > metre metric > > The above spelling has more common matched letters, the first 4 of each > word. > > Patrick Moore wrote: > > noun adjective > > center central > > meter metric > > > > > > > >> From: John Nichols <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >> Reply-To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >> Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2008 16:05:41 -0500 > >> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]> > >> Subject: [USMA:41678] Re: metre or meter > >> > >> I have considered the spelling issue as well, > >> > >> as long as you spell central as centeral I have no problems with meter. > >> > >> of course some of us think of a meter as a voltmeter, and we should always > >> try and confuse the young. > >> > >> JMN > >> > >> John Nichols, BE (Hons 1), Ph.D. > >> Langford Architectural Complex RM 429A > >> Department of Construction Science > >> College of Architecture > >> Texas A&M University > >> College Station, TX 77843-3137 > >> Phone: 979 845 6541 > >> Fax: 979 862 1572 > >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >> > >> > >>> -----Original Message----- > >>> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > >>> Behalf Of Ziser, Jesse > >>> Sent: Thursday, 11 September 2008 3:04 PM > >>> To: U.S. Metric Association > >>> Subject: [USMA:41677] Re: metre or meter > >>> > >>> Being a fan of American spelling (though less a fan of other American > >>> things, like our silly > >>> units) I find myself occasionally having to defend our spelling of > >>> meter. This is a nice essay to > >>> be able to refer to. > >>> > >>> In the rare case in which disambiguation between the two meanings of > >>> the word is necessary, I > >>> suggest that Americans just resort to the use of a more explicit > >>> synonym such as "measuring tool" > >>> or "SI meter". This has the advantage of allowing disambiguation in > >>> spoken language too, and for > >>> written documents it avoids the possibility that someone will just > >>> misinterpret the different > >>> spelling as a typo and not recognize that a distinction in meaning was > >>> intended. > >>> > >>> I've nothing against the international spelling in an international > >>> context, of course. Just my > >>> two cents regarding US domestic usage. > >>> > >>> --- Pat Naughtin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >>> > >>> > >>>> Dear All, > >>>> > >>>> There is an interesting historical glimpse of the debate over the > >>>> spelling of metre or meter at: > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > >>> http://books.google.com/books?id=N6vfLU- > >>> RfmYC&pg=PA66&lpg=PA66&dq=gram+gramme+meter+metre+agreement&source=web& > >>> ots=6l4DHvuPUH&sig=1m_frOYXwtUe07JnEfHfbo- > >>> j_ZQ&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result#PPA65,M1 > >>> > >>>> Cheers, > >>>> > >>>> Pat Naughtin > >>>> > >>>> PO Box 305 Belmont 3216, > >>>> Geelong, Australia > >>>> Phone: 61 3 5241 2008 > >>>> > >>>> Metric system consultant, writer, and speaker, Pat Naughtin, has > >>>> helped thousands of people and hundreds of companies upgrade to the > >>>> modern metric system smoothly, quickly, and so economically that they > >>>> now save thousands each year when buying, processing, or selling for > >>>> their businesses. Pat provides services and resources for many > >>>> different trades, crafts, and professions for commercial, industrial > >>>> and government metrication leaders in Asia, Europe, and in the USA. > >>>> Pat's clients include the Australian Government, Google, NASA, NIST, > >>>> and the metric associations of Canada, the UK, and the USA. See > >>>> http://www.metricationmatters.com/ > >>>> for more metrication information, contact Pat at > >>>> > >>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >>> > >>>> or to get the free 'Metrication matters' newsletter go to: > >>>> http://www.metricationmatters.com/newsletter/ > >>>> to subscribe. > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > > > > > >
