Re: [OT Why GB English is different] Re: Mozilla firefox en-gb

[richard lyons <richard@the-place.net>]

On Wednesday 05 May 2004 04:25, Erik Steffl wrote:
> cr wrote:
> ...million/trillion US/GB discussion...
>
> > To me, the English way makes more sense simply because:
> > 1 billion = 1 million million   (two of 'em - 'bi')
> > 1 trillion = 1 million million million   (three of 'em - 'tri')
> > 1 quadrillion =1 million million million million  (four of 'em - 'quad')

or, more clearly, 1 billion = (1 million)^2
                  1 trillion = (1 million)^3
                  etc.
but it is history now.

>    BTW isn't the whole europe (at least) using billion and trillion in
> the same way as GB?

No. French, for example, uses un milliard = 10^9.

Italian does have bilione (with one 'l') and I think it used to be = 10^12. I 
am not sure whether Italy has joined the american way and devalued the 
billion to 10^9 as we have in the UK.

-- 
richard