• Zagorath
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    4
    ·
    2 years ago

    The thing is, while “meter” and “metre” are pronounced the same, when you use them in compound words they’re not. Thermometer or odometer are pronounced with stress on the second syllable (the syllable immediately prior to “meter”), but kilometre and centimetre are pronounced with the stress on the third syllable (“MEtre”).

    • Stovetop@lemmy.ml
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      9
      ·
      edit-2
      2 years ago

      Kilometer has the same stressed syllable as odometer in American English.

      Easier just to distinguish pronunciation as -ometer vs -meter.

      • Zagorath
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        2 years ago

        Easier just to distinguish pronunciation as -ometer vs -meter.

        But kilometre and thermometer both have ometer

        • EmiliaTheHero@possumpat.io
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          3
          ·
          2 years ago

          Right, and in most American dialects they are pronounced the same. Whereas Centimeter is pronounced differently and does not have an “ometer”

          • Bruce@lemmy.ml
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            2
            ·
            2 years ago

            We’ll continue having fun with american pronunciation on another day. Today, we’re taking care of the imperial(istic?) system