Editing Tonne (section)

==Origin and spelling==

In English, ''tonne'' is an established spelling alternative to ''metric ton''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/203217?redirectedFrom=tonne#eid |title=tonne, n |work=[[OED]] |access-date=6 August 2021}}</ref> In American English and British English, tonne is usually pronounced the same as ton ({{IPAc-en|t|ʌ|n}}), but the final "e" can also be pronounced, i.e. "'''tunnie'''" ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|t|ʌ|n|i}}).<ref>The Oxford English dictionary 2nd ed. lists both /tʌn/ and /ˈtʌni/</ref> In Australian English, the common and recommended pronunciation is {{IPAc-en|t|ɒ|n}}.<ref>{{cite book |title= Macquarie Dictionary|edition= fifth |year= 2009|publisher= Macquarie Dictionary Publishers Pty Ltd|location= Sydney}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=1972-11-21 |title=How To Pronounce Metrics Units (advertisement by Australian Metric Conversion Board) |work=The Age |page=14 |access-date=2021-11-01 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9ihVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3ZADAAAAIBAJ&pg=6434%2C4864047}}</ref> In the United States, ''metric ton'' is the name for this unit used and recommended by NIST;<ref name="fedreg">[http://lamar.colostate.edu/~hillger/laws/63fr40333.pdf Metric System of Measurement: Interpretation of the International System of Units for the United States] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080409102714/http://lamar.colostate.edu/~hillger/laws/63fr40333.pdf|date=2008-04-09}} (PDF). See corrections in the Errata section of [http://lamar.colostate.edu/~hillger/laws/nist-interpretation.html] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080418115704/http://lamar.colostate.edu/~hillger/laws/nist-interpretation.html|date=2008-04-18}}.</ref> an unqualified mention of a ''ton'' typically refers to a [[short ton]] of 2,000 lb (907.2 kg) and to a lesser extent to a [[long ton]] of 2,240 lb (1,016 kg), with the term ''tonne'' rarely used in speech or writing. Both terms are acceptable in [[Canadian English]].

''Ton'' and ''tonne'' are both derived from a [[Germanic languages|Germanic]] word in general use in the [[North Sea]] area since the [[Middle Ages]] ({{cf.}} [[Old English]] and [[Old Frisian]] ''tunne'', [[Old High German]] and [[Medieval Latin]] {{Lang|la-x-medieval|tunna}}, [[German language|German]] and [[French language|French]] ''tonne'') to designate a large cask, or ''tun''.<ref>{{OEtymD|tonne}}</ref> A full tun, standing about a metre high, could easily weigh a tonne. See also the common German word [[:de:Mülltonne]] (literal translation: garbage [[Drum_(container)|drum]]).

The spelling ''tonne'' pre-dates the introduction of the SI in 1960; it has been used with this meaning in France since 1842,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://atilf.atilf.fr/dendien/scripts/tlfiv4/showps.exe?p=combi.htm;java=no;|title=Recherche d'un mot|website=atilf.atilf.fr}}</ref> when there were no metric prefixes for multiples of 10<sup>6</sup> and above, and is now used as the standard spelling for the metric mass measurement in most [[English language|English]]-speaking countries.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.nmo.bis.gov.uk/Docs/Legislation/Units%20of%20Measurement/Gnotes%20for%20public%20sector%20on%20use%20of%20metric.pdf
|title=Guidance Note on the use of Metric Units of Measurement by the Public Sector
|year=2007
|publisher=National Measurement Office
|access-date=2010-02-13
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20110207120946/http://www.nmo.bis.gov.uk/Docs/Legislation/Units%20of%20Measurement/Gnotes%20for%20public%20sector%20on%20use%20of%20metric.pdf
|archive-date=2011-02-07
}}  "Tonne" is listed under "The Principal Metric Units of Measurement" on p. 7.
</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url=  http://www.comlaw.gov.au/ComLaw/Legislation/LegislativeInstrumentCompilation1.nsf/framelodgmentattachments/35F21696B4C9E27CCA2575EC001FA5D1
|title= National Measurement Regulations 1999 {{pipe}}|year=1999
|publisher=Australian Government
|access-date=2010-02-13}} "Tonne" is listed under Schedule 1, Part 3 as a non-SI unit of measurement used with SI units of measurement.</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.maf.govt.nz/statistics/forestry/annual/nzstats2000/appendix/append4.htm|title= Appendix 4: Units of Measurement and Conversion Factors|publisher= MAF (Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (New Zealand))|access-date=2010-02-13}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gazette.gc.ca/archives/p2/1999/1999-11-10/html/sor-dors430-eng.html|title=Canada Gazette|date=1998–2007|publisher=Government of Canada|access-date=2010-02-13|quote=The Corporation shall pay to producers selling and delivering wheat produced in the designated area to the Corporation the following sums certain per tonne basis...|archive-date=2011-07-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706181616/http://www.gazette.gc.ca/archives/p2/1999/1999-11-10/html/sor-dors430-eng.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> In the United States, the unit was originally referred to using the [[French language|French]] words ''millier'' or ''tonneau'',<ref>Act of 28 July 1866, codified in {{UnitedStatesCode|15|205}}</ref> but these terms are now obsolete.<ref name="FR1998">{{cite journal |title=Metric System of Measurement: Interpretation of the International System of Units for the United States |journal=[[Federal Register]] |date=28 July 1998 |volume=63 |issue=144 |id=63 FR 40333 |page=40338 |url=http://physics.nist.gov/cuu/pdf/SIFedReg.pdf |url-status    = dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111015081850/http://physics.nist.gov/cuu/pdf/SIFedReg.pdf |archive-date=15 October 2011}}</ref> The British imperial and United States customary units are comparable to the ''tonne'' and the spelling of ''ton'' in English is the same, though they differ in mass.

===French pre-metric tonne===
Prior to metrification the French tonne consisted of 2000 French pounds (livres). Therefore a French tonne of that era weighed 979 kg compared to an English ton of 1016 kg. Prior to the use of tonne for this weight tonneau (plural: tonneaux) was used.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Winfield |first1=Rif |last2=Roberts |first2=Stephen S. |title=French warships in the age of sail 1626-1786: design, construction, careers and fates |date=2017 |publisher=Seaforth Publishing |location=Barnsley, South Yorkshire |isbn=978-1-4738-9351-1 |page=2}}</ref>