Ha! Nice suggestion about dropping the "e" entirely: "metr". Aren't there
some Eastern European
languages that spell it that way? Anyway I suppose it is kind of silly. I
think for me it just
feels like a proxy issue for a broader argument about spelling reforms in
languages and whether or
not they are a good thing (which I know is not really a subject for this
mailing list).
Actually, I'd be perfectly happy to just drop the "eter" and spell it "m". ;-)
The pipe thread thing was something I hadn't heard of... that sounds downright
criminal. A nice
solution would be to have true metric pipe threads, where all of the dimensions
of the threads are
round metric sizes, just like metric screw sizes. But I guess no one does that.
--- Stan Jakuba <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Amen, Pat. It would be hard to write a more thorough study. Congratulations!
>
> I always considered the -er, -re issue too silly to get involved. Its
> existence contradicted the
> image I held for my adopted country as being practical, common sense, and
> free to chose.
>
> Your story, unfortunately, reminds me of a similar, far more expensive issue
> - the American
> effort to push thru the U.S. pipe thread ("National Pipe Thread" or NPT).
> This was so that one
> influential businessman could make a lot of money in making and selling the
> associated cutting
> and gaging tools. The whole world at that time used the British (later ISO)
> pipe standard and
> thus the mostly U.K.-made tools. NPT made Mr. Sellers wealthier, and his
> cronies within ASME and
> government probably also (I do not imply anything illegal, just unethical).
>
> For those not familiar with pipe threads, the differences between the NP and
> the ISO threads are
> not perceptible by naked eye. As a result - do I need to continue? Zillions
> in all kinds of
> currencies wasted in malfunctioning of machinery repaired all over the world
> with mixed threads.
> Here in the US, it is billions of dollars wasted in leaks and similar
> problems when imported
> machinery is "repaired" with NPT fittings. "But is seemed to fit" is the
> usual excuse. Similarly
> it is abroad with the U.S.- made machinery (although that problem has now
> lessened - not much
> machinery is made here, let lone exported).
>
> Those who read about NPT history may recall all kinds of advantages claimed
> for it. In fact,
> there are none for all practical purposes, and whatever minute improvement it
> offered, "screwing
> up" (pun intended) the whole world with a redundant standard hurts everyone,
> the U.S. including.
>
>
> I agree that the meter, metre controversy cost money. Not only that, I
> believe that blocking the
> alternative -re contributed greatly to the failure of adopting metric in the
> 1970s in the U.S.
> And as with the NP thread, it was only a few that had to have things the
> American way. Pat (as
> others before him) tells us in beautifully uncertain terms: -re is just as
> American as -er. Most
> people, like myself, could not care less either way (including dropping the
> controversial -e-
> altogether). As for Mr. Sellers, the proponent of NP - he went for the money.
> Unlike with the
> -er, that reason is at least understandable.
>
> Stan Jakuba
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Pat Naughtin
> To: U.S. Metric Association
> Sent: 08 Oct 07, Tuesday 17:52
> Subject: [USMA:41803] Spelling metre or meter
>
>
> Dear All,
>
>
> I have cobbled together some thoughts on this issue and formed them into an
> article that I
> have placed at:
>
>
> http://www.metricationmatters.com/docs/Spelling_metre_or_meter.pdf
>
>
> I would appreciate any comments.
>
>
>
> 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
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>
>
