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WILL KILOMETRAGE AND METRAGE REPLACE MILEAGE, YARDAGE AND FOOTAGE?

 

OTTAWA, February 9, 1979 - Now that highway signs are in metres and
kilometres, construction uses metres and millimetres, and fabrics are
sold by the metre, Sand McArthur, Chairman of Metric Commission Canada,
suggests kilometrage and metrage may replace the words like mileage,
footage and yardage.

The 49th Meeting of Metric Commission Canada held recently in Ottawa,
considered "metrage" to be a suitable replacement for footage and yardage
and perhaps even mileage in the English language.

Mileage has become obsolete in Canada, since conversion of road signs
throughout the country over a year ago. Signs in metres and kilometres
accentuate the need for a new word to express odometer readings and
distance or length.

Seventy per cent of the lettersreceived in response to Metric Commission
Canada's suggestion were in favour of the use of "metrage". Some of

the reasons given were: it's easy to pronounce and spell; it has about
the same general meaning in both official languages and is a convenient
replacement for obsolescent words like footage and yardage.

It is suggested that readers of this announcement try using kilometrage
and metrage in house organs, bulletins, magazines, newspapers and audio
visual presentations, and evaluate the possibility of acceptance of one
or both new words.

-..--Ed Redmond

STUDENT ACCOMMODATIONS NEEDED

 

Douglas College is looking for accommodations for 50 students from
Quebec who will be involved in an English Language immersion program
on the College's Surrey Campus from May 29 to July 7.

Families willing to house a student for the six-week period will receive
$240 in compensation.

Host families would be expected to provide room accommodation, breakfast
and dinner for the student. Lunches will be provided by the College.

The object of the immersion program is to expand the students' ability
to speak English and to give them an appreciation of B.C. and its people.

If you live near Douglas College's Surrey Campus at 9260-140th Street,
and are interested in billeting a student, contact Housing Co-ordinator
Bev Mercer at 596-6341.

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