What is a kil'ometer?

[CDNSushi]

The answer to this question (whether it is the correct answer or not I do not know) was explained to me by my high school math teacher. Technically speaking, (in his opinion), "ki-LO-meter" is a common mispronunciation and it should, in fact be: "KIL-ometer". However, in his opinion a "ki-LO-meter" is a legitimate word IF you were actually referring to a measuring device used to measure a kilometer, much like a "micrometer" pronounced: "miCROmeter" is a type of caliper used in extra-fine measurements, or as you mentioned, various other "-ometer" measuring devices.

Therefore, in summary, (the way it was explained to me):

KILometer and kiLOmeter are both acceptable pronounciations.. BUT

KILometer = a distance of 1000 meters
kiLOmeter = a (theoretical) device used to measure kilometers

Does that help?

[Thunderbolt]

I work with numbers every day, mostly in inches. But, it's a mixture of fractions and decimals...ugh...

Let's see, I have to cut a 1/2x28 thread (for simplicity!). So my mean dia. for a 3A is .4978. Wait, how do I convert decimals to fractions....um...yeah.

My lathe is all in .xxxx. It dosen't speak fractions. Many times machinists speak in decimials, as in "I need a .187 end mill." Not "I need a 3/16th inch end mill." We break everything down to 1/1000("One thou") of of an inch, sometimes 1/10,000 ("one tenth") if it's a precision part. (For my industry, anyway.)

I had to do a job in metric just the other day. Lucky enough, my readout ob the lathe can switch to mm. That made it easy, but I was still nervous in the beginning. But after I got going and got my head wrapped around it, it was suprisingly easy.

Metric is SO much easier than imperial. But the US has been doing things that way for a long time, and we're a stubborn lot! They're would be so much confusion over the switch...I can't even imagine the scene....

Most people I know pronounce kilometer as kill-OHM-eter.

Me thinks it's to avoid confusion with a 'kilo' of anything....


T.

[thanmuwa]

Metric is SO much easier than imperial.

Amen to that. 16 ounces in a pound and 14 pounds in a stone and however many stone in a tonne.... what a palaver!

Most people I know pronounce kilometer as kill-OHM-eter.

Me thinks it's to avoid confusion with a 'kilo' of anything....

T.

But it IS a kilo of something, it is a kilo of metres, same as a kilobyte is a kilo of bytes (almost!), a kiloHertz is a kilo of Hertz and a kilogram is a kilo of grams
T.

[meinfs]

Amen to that. 16 ounces in a pound and 14 pounds in a stone and however many stone in a tonne.... what a palaver!


But it IS a kilo of something, it is a kilo of metres, same as a kilobyte is a kilo of bytes (almost!), a kiloHertz is a kilo of Hertz and a kilogram is a kilo of grams
T.

And a kilobyte is ...

[arrogcow]

Down with metrics, we don't want a foreign ruler.

Join the fight against the metric system. Don't give an inch.

Sorry couldn't resist.

Adam

[Mac Daibhidh]

Señor Escobar always deals with metrics when measuring his co-kI-ain-ya.

[Barry]

KILometer = a distance of 1000 meters
kiLOmeter = a (theoretical) device used to measure kilometers

As a mileometer in my old car measured miles then the new fangled device for km surely should be a kilometerometer. The KilOmeter sounds like some gory battlefield device

[Ian.MacAllan]

Here in the States we have no time for sensible measurement systems! None of this Mamby Pamby divide by ten and get a quick and simple answer stuff. . . .

Actual entry to a "My Pop's Tops" contest, by a fifth grader: "My Pop's Tops not only on Fathers Day but on all the other 5,280 days of the year!"

. . . No doing dangerous math going down the highway!

Pvt: How do you convert klicks to miles?
Sgt: Multiply klicks by 5 and divide by 8, then subtract 2.
Pvt: Why subtract 2?
Sgt: Because by the time I have multiplied by 5 and divided by 8 we've gone two miles. (At motor convoy speed: 20 mph.)

. . . Does that help?

Not at all, but thanks for trying.

. . . Metric is SO much easier than imperial. But the US has been doing things that way for a long time, and we're a stubborn lot! . . .
T.

A large part of the silliness of this situation is that the USA is officially on the metric syatem. All other units are, by statute, defined in terms of metric units. But, to 99.44% of Americans, that is incredible news.

And a kilobyte is ...

1000 bytes to a hardware engineer and 1024 bytes to a software engineer. What could be simpler?

.

[Macman]

A large part of the silliness of this situation is that the USA is officially on the metric syatem. All other units are, by statute, defined in terms of metric units. But, to 99.44% of Americans, that is incredible news.

Ian, I understood that although the metric system was legal in the USA, it wasn't the "official" system. I'd like to find out more, if you or anyone else knows for sure.

Where I'm located, "kilometre" is pronounced both ways. I even pronounce it both ways myself!

[vmac3205]

Just remember
6.2 kiltometers = a kilted mile