"CENTI"meter vs "SONO"meter

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · May 28, 2006

itiswhatitis said:
I have no idea why nurses feel the need to pronounce this simple word in such a rediculously affected manner. I was a physics and math major and not until nursing did I EVER hear someone pronounce centimeter as sonometer. It makes me want to hurl!!!

It's the French pronunciation......not ridiculous at all.:caduceus:

itiswhatitis · May 28, 2006

ok.. so ..suddenly upon entering the field of nursing , we are now speaking french..i want to hurl even more!!

Kelly_the_Great · May 28, 2006

Hey itiswhatitis,

I think it mostly has to do with how they were "taught" to say it. You know, you say "toe-MAY-toe", I say "to-MAH-toe"??? :rolleyes:

https://allnurses.com/forums/f35/pronunciation-153896.html?highlight=sontimeters

Editorial Team / Admin · May 28, 2006

Check out this lengthy thread in the OB forum:

https://allnurses.com/forums/f35/pronunciation-153896.html?highlight=centimeter

allnurses Guide · May 28, 2006

Thanks siri, I was going to suggest the same thing - we had a lengthy discussion about it recently.

I still think it sounds silly to say "sono" meter. Affected. Like you are trying to impress someone with your superior grammar skills.

I'll have to remember this though next time I hear someone make fun of President Bush and his pronounciation of "nuclear" and I think they are being silly for getting upset.

steph

Mommy TeleRN, RN · May 28, 2006

Well I am very glad for the explanation that it is the French pronunciation. My OB teacher pronounced it that way and I was like HUH? Why in the WORLD does she say it that way? now we are in the South and I think every community has its own way of saying things - but I was appalled that she would say it so off lol...now I know why! I mean she is a highly educated woman, and a FNP lol....so I was so surprised! haha

PANurseRN1 · May 28, 2006

Funny, there's a lengthy thread going on at SDN over this...

geekgolightly, BSN, RN · May 28, 2006

stevielynn said:
Thanks siri, I was going to suggest the same thing - we had a lengthy discussion about it recently.
I still think it sounds silly to say "sono" meter. Affected. Like you are trying to impress someone with your superior grammar skills.
I'll have to remember this though next time I hear someone make fun of President Bush and his pronounciation of "nuclear" and I think they are being silly for getting upset.
steph

these are very different horses here. "nucular" is not a different pronunciation of nuclear, it is flat out wrong. bush, who probably began pronouncing this without understanding it, has come to use it as a way to keep in touch with the people = manipulate, which makes his vernacular cute-ism disgusting.

JVanRN · May 28, 2006

itiswhatitis said:
It makes me want to hurl!!!

:chuckle Well I don't feel that strongly about it, but it does grate my nerves a little. I never really thought it sounded pretentious...I've just never really heard it pronounced that way outside of nursing (though I'm sure it can be and it is)

dorimar, BSN, RN · May 28, 2006

As stressfull as nursing is, and of all the crap that gos on in the profession, I cannot believe that, of all things is what bothers you. Better take a chill pill. There's a lot worse out there to deal with

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · May 28, 2006

stevielynn said:
I'll have to remember this though next time I hear someone make fun of President Bush and his pronounciation of "nuclear" and I think they are being silly for getting upset.
steph

:rotfl:

You know, I stopped making fun of the president for that years ago, and here's why: I've spent innumerable hours trying to teach my hubby to pronounce it "new-clee-ear". And after 26 years, the man STILL can't wrap his tongue around the syllables well enough to get the correct pronunciation out. Comes out "new-cu-ler" every dang time. I give up!!:roll