Definition Correct SI Pronunciation

Q

QC Rick

I hate to ask this question as it shows my lack of knowledge of the SI system.
I rarely see a true SI B/P and the last time I dealt with SI units was in high school other than using metric wrenches on my vehicles.

We have a metric B/P now and need to know proper pronunciation of SI terms.
I know this much:
Deci = .10-1 = 0.1 (one tenth)
Centi = 10-2 = 0.01 (one hundredth)
Milli = 10-3 = 0.001 (one thousandth)
(Is there a missing value here?) = 0.0001 (one hundred thousandth)
Micro = 10-6 = 0.000001 (one millionth)
Nano = 10-9 = 0.000000001 (one billionth)
Pico = 10-12 = 0.000000000001 (one trillionth)
All suffix's are Meter.

The above is easy to understand less the proper pronunciation of the term, example; 0.001mm is pronounced how? Is it as spelled out?
Another example; 0.0005mm is pronounced how?
I have an inspector pronouncing the above value as:
0.0005" (ten thousandth) of a mm. this makes it seem like the SI and SAE systems converge in pronunciation.

Please keep the laughing to a minimum. :bonk:
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Jim Wynne

Leader
Admin
Re: Correct SI Pronunciation.

I hate to ask this question as it shows my lack of knowledge of the SI system.
I rarely see a true SI B/P and the last time I dealt with SI units was in high school other than using metric wrenches on my vehicles.

We have a metric B/P now and need to know proper pronunciation of SI terms.
I know this much:
Deci = .10-1 = 0.1 (one tenth)
Centi = 10-2 = 0.01 (one hundredth)
Milli = 10-3 = 0.001 (one thousandth)
(Is there a missing value here?) = 0.0001 (one hundred thousandth)
Micro = 10-6 = 0.000001 (one millionth)
Nano = 10-9 = 0.000000001 (one billionth)
Pica = 10-12 = 0.000000000001 (one trillionth)
All suffix's are Meter.

The above is easy to understand less the proper pronunciation of the term, example; 0.001mm is pronounced how? Is it as spelled out?
Another example; 0.0005mm is pronounced how?
I have an inspector pronouncing the above value as:
0.0005" (thousandth) of a mm. this makes it seem like the SI and SAE systems converge in pronunciation.

Please keep the laughing to a minimum. :bonk:

You can get the straight skinny on this from NIST. There is no division between milli- and micro-. In using the English system measurements made to the 4th decimal place are generally referred to as "tenths," thus .0005" would be referred to as "five tenths." It could cause confusion to use the same nomenclature with SI units, though, as it involves mixing decimals, fractions, English units and SI units :confused:.

0.0005mm shouldn't be referred to as five thousandths, if that's what you're saying the inspector is doing, because it's five ten- thousandths, which is how it should be said, so long as everyone understands that the metric system is in use.

Added in edit: It's pico, not pica, pronounced peeko.
 
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Q

QC Rick

Re: Correct SI Pronunciation.

I corrected both errors you mentioned, I did mean to state the employee said 5 ten thousandths of a mm.

Thank you for your time and information!!!
 
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