Just for fun, consider clicking on the little speaker on the French side when you go to Translate Google for centimeter (be sure that you have your speakers turned on): https://translate.google.com/#nl/fr/centimeter
----- Message from Remek Kocz <[email protected]> --------- Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2014 20:51:27 -0400 From: Remek Kocz <[email protected]> Reply-To: [email protected] Subject: [USMA:54027] "Sonometer" and French units To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]>
Some of you here might find this mildly amusing, but most will probably groan. I know I do. In medicine, some doctors like to pronounce the word centimeter as "sont-o-meter" or "sonometer" if spoken quickly. Why? Probably because it sounds French and it gives an impression of using a specialized or esoteric unit unique to the field. Informally, I noticed that the trend towards this pronunciation is among the specialties that use centimeters the least. Internal medicine docs tend to say it that way, while surgeons or obstetricians who use centimeters daily, usually say things correctly. Speaking of things French: A curiosity in terms of medical measurement is the existence of "French" units. They are exactly 1/3 mm and are used to represent diameters of various catheters (intravenous, bladder) and tubes. Usually abbreviated "Fr" or sometimes "F." So something that's 3 Fr, is 1 mm in diameter.
----- End message from Remek Kocz <[email protected]> ----- David Pearl www.MetricPioneer.com 503-428-4917
