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Facing a shortage of the Latin letters for the prospective new SI symbols: alternative proposal for the new SI prefixes

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A Discussion Forum to this article was published on 27 April 2022

Abstract

Recently, R. J. C. Brown analysed the needs and the possibilities to extend the current set of the SI prefixes and came up with the novel proposals of the extension of the set of the SI prefixes. This paper highlights their risks and potential side effects from the point of view the internal coherence of the SI, its future extensibility and the user adoption. Based on these, an alternative proposal is made which is free of those risks.

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Notes

  1. The symbol of this prefix brings no problems, but for the name of this prefix, it would be probably better to stick to the SI tradition here. One can imagine e.g. “sabo” derived from the following, Sanskrit numeral “sas” meaning six, Sanskrit numeral “bahulam” meaning 1023, see [11], and ending “o” consistently used for the SI prefixes denoting 10–6 and lower.

  2. However, in fact, Latin x evolved from Greek chi.

References

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This paper represents the personal views of the author and does not necessarily reflect those of the Czech Metrology Institute and the Slovak University of Technology.

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  1. Czech Metrology Institute, Okružní 31, 63800, Brno, Czech Republic

    Dominik Pražák

  2. Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Slovak University of Technology, Námestie Slobody 17, 81243, Bratislava, Slovak Republic

    Dominik Pražák

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  1. Dominik Pražák
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Correspondence to Dominik Pražák.

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Pražák, D. Facing a shortage of the Latin letters for the prospective new SI symbols: alternative proposal for the new SI prefixes. Accred Qual Assur 27, 39–41 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00769-021-01491-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00769-021-01491-7

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