How is this pronounced?
5 µm – a very tiny number… how do you pronounce this unit?
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That's 5 micrometers. Micro- comes from the Greek μικρός mikrós , meaning "small. " The "ι" is the Greek letter iota, from which both the Latin "i" is derived and the pronunciation corresponds exactly to that of the Latin "i."
The pronunciation "Mükrometer" is incorrect and nonsensical. µ is the Greek letter My, which is pronounced like "Mü," but when pronounced, one says the name of the prefix rather than the prefix itself. The only consistent term would then be "Mümeter," which is occasionally used, but is also very unusual. One doesn't pronounce mm (millimeter), am (attometer), or km (kilometer) as "Em-meter," "A-meter," or "Ka-meter" either…
In some places, some people pronounce "i's" a bit like "ü's." For example, I've heard some people say "Schiff" or "Schifffahrt," and it sounded like "Schüff" and "Schüfffahrt."
Perhaps there is a slight influence on the pronunciation as a micrometer.
But otherwise you are of course right.
Anyone who consciously pronounces Mükrometer like that because of the µ and not just unconsciously slurring the i to ü is definitely pronouncing it wrong.
I know the use of "Mü" as a unit of length from my father, who was a toolmaker. In his industry, it was used shorthand for micrometer, analogous to the use of "kilo" for kilogram.
But mind you, he says something like "five mu," meaning 5 µm. I've never heard him say "mumeter" before.
I was the first to see your reply and wrote the comment.
Only then did I see the other answers. (I should have looked at them right away.)
merkurus confirms the use of "Mü" as a short form, but he also speaks of Mümeter, which, as I said, I have never heard from my father.
Many professions have their own technical jargon, which is often non-standard, but the comments that seriously insist on micrometers make my toenails curl up! 😂
Micrometers will probably be used in school.
In technology we speak of Mümeter.
Or just a quick 5 minutes.
Micrometers. Don't let anyone fool you into thinking i's an ü
If you're going to use Greek letters, you should pronounce them correctly. Everything else is "Germanized"…
Here, however, the "my" isn't pronounced, but rather the prefix "micro-." This has nothing to do with the symbol; it comes from the Greek word μικρός, which is pronounced with an "i." If you think you have to pronounce the Greek letter "my," that would be "5 μεμένον." But that's quite unusual, since you don't pronounce 5 km as "five αιμένον" either…
Do you really call Beta "Wita," as is correct?
I quote from Wikipedia:
So: your ancient Greek teacher was right 😉
No—but I've never heard it either; even my ancient Greek teacher said "beta," but that was 40 years ago; maybe things are different today…
5 micrometers
Five micrometers
Micrometers?? Really?
Yes
A lot of people say that in everyday life when dealing with units. It's actually incorrect, though. Micrometer is correct.
Can't disagree — Agreed.
No. Either "micrometer" or "Mümeter." Either you prefix the meter with the correct SI prefix, ie, mikro- (and here the "i" is actually pronounced like an "i"), or you pronounce the My as "Mü." But then the "-kro-" is out of place.
[micrometer]