Example - we say thermom'eter accenting the 'mom', who certainly has something to do with taking temperature, but is irrelevant here. It should be, in keeping with the sense of the word, 'therm'ometer'. Now doesn't that make more sense? Imagine a nonspeaker of English but who has some minimal use of it. Hearing 'therm' or 'kilo' clearly spoken, they are able to suss out the meaning easily.
I realize that trying to make English make more sense is hopeless, especially if the impetus comes from English department people.
