“I tend to agree with the opinion that forcing British spelling will make the SI LESS acceptable to Americans.”
Is there some form of proof to back this claim up or is this just a personal opinion? Can you supply any information that shows two different spellings for metre within the same language? I can see that each language may spell it differently according to their particular language rules, but the SI units have one spelling in each language. Having a variation of spelling within English to me can be a turn-off as it makes SI units appear divided and inconsistent. It also makes the US look arrogant and haughty and the creating a spelling difference has no logical basis other than a crude attempt to create division within a coherent and consistent international system. The US doesn’t even use SI in general practice and creating unnecessary variations and interpretations from the rest of the English speaking world makes it very apparent that the US is trying to damage the SI and not adopt and spends more time coming up with phoney excuses instead of general adoption. From: [email protected] Sent: Sunday, 2014-06-08 10:55 To: U.S. Metric Association Subject: [USMA:53940] Re: YOUR LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL REQUEST - LC0044 I tend to agree with the opinion that forcing British spelling will make the SI LESS acceptable to Americans. The Chinese spell meter the Chinese way - 計 (Traditional) and 计 (Simplified). The Russians spell meter the Russian way - метр. Israelies spell meter in Hebrew - מטר. Spaniards spell meter in Spanish - metro.. In Indonesia they spell meter like Americans - meter. In Greece they spell meter in Greek - μετρητής. Shall I go on? Check out https://translate.google.com/ ----- Message from "John M. Steele" <[email protected]> --------- Date: Sun, 8 Jun 2014 06:40:24 -0700 (PDT) From: "John M. Steele" <[email protected]> Reply-To: "John M. Steele" <[email protected]> Subject: [USMA:53937] Re: YOUR LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL REQUEST - LC0044 To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]> Well, the American version is the law. Congress amend the Metric Act of 1866 to the current text in 2007. Copying the text from the USMA Metric Laws page. The final phrase is an indirect reference to SP 330 which is issued over signature of the SoC. Further, I think forcing British spelling will make the SI LESS acceptable to Americans, the last thing we need. U.S. Code Title 15 Commerce and Trade Chapter 6 Weights and Measures and Standard Time Subchapter I Weights, Measures, and Standards Generally Sec. 204. Metric system authorized It shall be lawful throughout the United States of America to employ the weights and measures of the metric system; and no contract or dealing, or pleading in any court, shall be deemed invalid or liable to objection because the weights or measures expressed or referred to therein are weights or measures of the metric system. Sec. 205. Metric system defined The metric system of measurement shall be defined as the International System of Units as established in 1960, and subsequently maintained, by the General Conference of Weights and Measures, and as interpreted or modified for the United States by the Secretary of Commerce. On Sunday, June 8, 2014 7:46 AM, Harold_Potsdamer <[email protected]> wrote: It would appear then that the NIST policy on using “American English” instead of “International English” is designed to impair communication and reduce the usefulness of a report. Seeing that we are trying to adopt the International System of Units and not the American System of Units, we should be promoting it using the version of English accepted in most of the world. SI loses some of its international flavour when it is modified based on location. From: Martin Vlietstra Sent: Sunday, 2014-06-08 01:24 To: U.S. Metric Association Subject: [USMA:53934] Re: YOUR LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL REQUEST - LC0044 It might be worthwhile citing the NIST document NIST SP 330 as well. The Wikipedia article states “The United States National Institute of Standards and Technology has produced a version of the CGPM document (NIST SP 330) which clarifies local interpretation for English-language publications that use American English”. Regards Martin Vlietstra From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of [email protected] Sent: 07 June 2014 23:37 To: U.S. Metric Association Subject: [USMA:53928] Re: YOUR LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL REQUEST - LC0044 Have a look at reference 83 in the Wikipedia article you share with us. Here is a quote from it: Henceforth it shall be the policy of the National Bureau of Standards to use the units of the International System (SI), as adopted by the 11th General Conference of Weights and Measures, except when the use of these units would obviously impair communication or reduce the usefulness of a report. See: http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/units/usmetric.html ----- Message from [email protected] --------- Date: Sat, 7 Jun 2014 22:26:46 +0000 (UTC) From: [email protected] Reply-To: [email protected] Subject: [USMA:53927] Re: YOUR LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL REQUEST - LC0044 To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]> Cc: USMA <[email protected]> The only problem with "international system" is that it is extremely generic. There are many international systems of XXX in the world today, so not using the complete name leaves a lot of ambiguity, unforuntately. From: [email protected] To: "USMA" <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, June 7, 2014 3:22:28 PM Subject: [USMA:53926] Re: YOUR LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL REQUEST - LC0044 Yes Ezra. Your statement is correct, however, just as the symbol for International System is SI (after the French initials) so too I think it is better not to overload Americans with too many words. Most Americans erroneously still know SI as metric system, a term that I think no one still uses (except for Americans). The symbol is not SIU. The symbol is SI, so SI literally represents the two words - Système International - which translates into English - International System. This way, Americans who might hate the metric system might get the idea that the International System is something newer and better, which it actually is, after all. What term do you all use when you discuss SI? Do you say SI? Do you say metric system? Do you say International System? Do you say International System of units? Or do you speak French? I would love to know. By the way, I typically say International System when I discuss the matter with people. (Sometimes I have to explain that the former term metric system had expired in 1960..) ----- Message from [email protected] --------- Date: Sat, 7 Jun 2014 21:51:13 +0000 (UTC) From: [email protected] Reply-To: [email protected] Subject: [USMA:53925] Re: YOUR LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL REQUEST - LC0044 To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]> Cc: USMA <[email protected]> But isn't the official name of the modern metric system "International System of Units" (English translation of Le Système international d'unités)? See for example http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_System_of_Units Regards, Ezra From: [email protected] To: "USMA" <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, June 7, 2014 2:45:08 PM Subject: [USMA:53924] Re: YOUR LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL REQUEST - LC0044 Below please see (1) LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL message to my government representative Cameron and (2) Denyc Boles message to me and (3) my reply. Please have a look at attached pdf of LC0044_DRAFT_2015_Regular_Session and LC0044_BB_2015_Regular_Session and let me know what you think. For those of you who may not remember, I submitted leglislation to the Oregon government that is modelled on that of Hawaii HB36. I am so happy that this finally got drafted. When I got notice about foot dragging, I wrote a letter to Governor Kitzhaber; I have no idea whether my letter to governor was the cause of getting them to move forward on this. ----- Message from [email protected] --------- Date: Sat, 07 Jun 2014 14:26:02 -0700 From: [email protected] Subject: Re: YOUR LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL REQUEST - LC0044 To: Boles Denyc <mailto:[email protected]> The metric system became the International System in 1960, so that old terminology is out of date. Please change all metric system references in LC 44 to International System. Is that possible? Thanks a million for getting this drafted. I am so happy! Please reply to let me know that you got this message. ----- Message from Boles Denyc <[email protected]> --------- Date: Fri, 6 Jun 2014 21:43:40 +0000 From: Boles Denyc <[email protected]> Subject: FW: YOUR LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL REQUEST - LC0044 To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> David – Yay, we finally got the draft.. Please review it and let me know what you think. Right now HD 19 is in transition as Rep. Cameron was sworn in as a Marion County Commissioner earlier this week. But I will make sure that the process continues in the interim. Sincerely, Denyc Boles Transition Staff House District 19 503-986-1419 From: LC Delivery Sent: Friday, June 06, 2014 2:28 PM To: Rep Cameron Subject: YOUR LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL REQUEST - LC0044 Attached is your completed request from Legislative Counsel.. Please review your draft or amendment for accuracy. If you require any changes, you may submit them electronically to [email protected] or bring a hard copy to our office, S-101. If a bill back is attached and you have questions, please contact either the Chief Clerk’s office (6-1870) or the Secretary of the Senate (6-1851) for clarification. ----- End message from Boles Denyc <[email protected]> ----- David Pearl http://www.metricpioneer.com/ 503-428-4917 ----- End message from [email protected] ----- David Pearl http://www.metricpioneer.com/ 503-428-4917 ----- End message from [email protected] ----- David Pearl http://www.metricpioneer.com/ 503-428-4917 ----- End message from [email protected] ----- David Pearl http://www.metricpioneer.com/ 503-428-4917 ----- End message from "John M. Steele" <[email protected]> ----- David Pearl www.MetricPioneer.com 503-428-4917
