Talk:Zetta-

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The spelling looks odd. Instead of "Zetta", "Zeta" feels more in line with the other prefixes, which sound greekish, e.g. "Peta". 79.204.143.38 (talk) 14:22, 17 June 2016 (UTC)Reply

According to what I originally learned, this prefix is based on the end of the Roman Alphabet (Z, Y, ...), but this article says it came from French Septem. Why is this root in dispute??

66.245.13.233 22:52, 30 Aug 2004 (UTC)

The root is from the horse's mouth, that is to say the official SI document. Simultaneously, you're not completely wrong; the symbol (Z) was chosen partly because it lies at the end of the alphabet (and partly because there aren't that many letters left to make prefix symbols out of!). And that's sept, not septem (which sounds like Latin).

Urhixidur 23:22, 2004 Aug 30 (UTC)

So this means it might be both?? 66.245.13.233 23:24, 30 Aug 2004 (UTC)

Coming years late into this conversation: if it's from septem, why is it zetta? Better way to put it, since it's zetta, how can it be said to be from septem? Koro Neil (talk) 14:33, 5 March 2008 (UTC)Reply

Just so no one else has to make this joke... So zetta slow! 71.245.151.61 (talk) 22:48, 15 August 2008 (UTC)Reply

piece of bollock... Zeta is a greek letter I don't see any closer relation to other language...85.72.144.11 (talk) 11:49, 13 April 2008 (UTC)Reply

It needs to be defined here. TechnoFaye Kane 02:39, 18 January 2009 (UTC)Reply

It should be noted that Zeta was used as the ancient Greek numeral 7, as no source is quoted for possible etymology from Latin, Zetta could alternatively be from the Greek Zeta. The OED has the etymology of Zetta as from the Italian sette (seven) and though sette itself came from the Latin, it would be factually incorrect to say that Zetta came directly from Latin. Either way, an authoritative source should be quoted.—Teahot (talk) 10:12, 16 May 2009 (UTC)Reply

The note given by the BIPM states ("Resolution 4 of the 19th CGPM (Conférence Générale des Poids et Mesures)". BIPM (Bureau International des Poids et Mesures). Retrieved 2009-05-16.):

The names zepto and zetta are derived from septo suggesting the number seven (the seventh power of 10³) and the letter "z" is substituted for the letter "s" to avoid the duplicate use of the letter "s" as a symbol.

I'll add this as a definitive reference. The etymology is now clear as septo is only used in French, not Latin, Ancient Greek or Italian. The previous etymology is wrong as if septo did derive in some form from the Latin septem, it is wrong to say zetta does too, just because it was arbitrarily based on septo.—Teahot (talk) 10:32, 16 May 2009 (UTC)Reply

"You're so Zetta slow" - This is how the word became popular. From the Nintendo DS game "The world ends with you". Without it, nobody including me would care about this article.

It's Zetta cool! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 211.27.113.54 (talk) 11:29, 8 May 2010 (UTC)Reply

Does anyone know how to pronounce it? We need a pronunciation guide. ··gracefool☺ 00:39, 31 March 2011 (UTC)Reply