Comments on: How do you pronounce kilometer?

By: Lee

Lee — Sat, 09 May 2009 02:43:20 +0000

When i was in high school the teacher drilled it into our heads by smacking a metre stick on the that that it is kilo-metre, just as it is kilo-gram. When i took broadcasting it was again confirmed that the correct Canadian pronunciation was kilo-metre NOT ki-law-mitter. I cringe when i hear people pronouncing it that way. In fact in the phone book (at least in our Canadian city) at the bottom of the conversion chart page, usually at the back of the book, it states that correct way of pronouncing it in Canada is Kill-o-metre.

By: It's not that difficult...

It's not that difficult... — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 19:42:45 +0000

Ahh yes… that would be CTV’s Lloyd RobERTson. I guess I’m not a preeminent blogger.

By: It's not that difficult...

It's not that difficult... — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 22:56:22 +0000

From a parallel discussion…

“Correct pronunciation is only important in as far as it is an indication
that the user understands the system whereas syllabization into
kil/om/et/re with emphasis on the second syllable clearly indicates that he
does not.”

See http://www.mail-archive.com/usma@colostate.edu/msg00123.html for the full text of an excellent analysis of the issue.

Keep in mind that by definition 50% of any population has an IQ <100 – so don’t worry about it if these “Under 100s” don’t get it.

Another point is that preeminent newscasters (in Canada that would be someone like CTV’s Lloyd Robinson) always say KIL-o-meter.

By: Martin Kloet

Martin Kloet — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 19:24:42 +0000

You are a 100 % right ,not 50 or 90 but 100%, most people know or should know
kiLaw metter is wrong but bad habits are hard to change

By: Neil

Neil — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 08:12:02 +0000

“I’m a Canadian that ….” ????
How can we offer you any credibility? Surely you mean, “I’m a Canadian who ….”?
The rule is simple. Things that, people who.
Sorry. It is kilometre, not kilometer – with respect to the French from whose language it originates. Pronounced with emphasis on the first syllable, not the second. Here’s a little test – try saying ‘centimetre’ with similarly misplaced emphasis – you’ll quickly get the point, and laugh at your own stupidity.

By: Al

Al — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 23:29:23 +0000

Thanny say –

“So that’s what happened, except outside America, where they didn’t get the message, and continued using the old American corruption.”

I think it is only the Brits that say aluminium. I’ve never heard anyone else says it that way; certainly no one in Canader, ‘cept when we’re pretending to speak with fake Bri’ish accents.

BTW speaking of Brits and the metric system, ever notice they say military more like “millitree”? (as in: “Made her look a little like a millitree man.” – Lovely Rita, The Beatles) Like it’s a thousandth of a tree, or something…

By: It's not that difficult...

It's not that difficult... — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 23:31:20 +0000

I’m all for English being a ‘living’ language which changes as people change. Kilometer, however, is one instance where I as a scientitian cannot bend. There is a real reason as to why it is pronounced KILO-meter, and not ki-LOM-eter. It is simply how the SI system of units works; the root measurement is the meter – ‘kilo’ is a prefix which means thousand. Other prefixes are: mega- for million, milli- for thousandth, micro- for millionth and so on. This holds true for all SI units and all SI prefixes. For example, you say MILLI-meter, not mi-LIM-eter. Try asking for a ki-LOG-ram of ground beef, or talk about the ambient air pressure in ki-LOP-ascals. Once you realize how foolish ki-LOM-eter sounds, you’ll stick with KILO-meter. Incidentally, keelo and killo are both acceptable pronunciations of the prefix.

Though the mispronunciation is widespread in N. America, it seems that Americans insist on ki-LOM-eter apparently because it sounds similar to barometer and thermometer. How wrong is that!? Those are measuring instruments, not units of measurement! For example, though the spelling is the same, there are two pronunciations of micrometer – MICRO-meter being a millionth of a meter, and mi-CROM-eter being a measuring device. Interesting that Americans think that they are authorities on the same system of measurement that they have unanimously opposed.