|
|
The state of British English
To measure the above mentioned quantities in the English Imperial system, all the following units can occur:
1Length: inch, foot, yard, mile, fathom, rod, furlong, league, mil, pole, perch, hand, link, chain
2Area: square inch, square foot, square yard, acre, square mile, township, square fathom, square rod, square furlong, square league, square mil, square pole, square perch, square hand, square link, square chain
3Volume: gallon, liquid quart, dry quart, liquid pint, dry pint, fluid ounce, teaspoon, tablespoon, minim, fluid dram, gill, peck, bushel, cubic inch, cubic foot, cubic yard, cubic fathom, cubic rod, cubic furlong, cubic mile, cubic league, cubic mil, cubic pole, cubic perch, cubic hand, cubic link, cubic chain
4Mass: pound, apoth. pound, ounce, apoth. ounce, dram, apoth. dram, grain, spoth. scruple, pennyweight, short hundredweight, long hundredweight, short ton, long ton
5Force: pound, ton
6Pressure: pounds per square inch, pounds per square foot, pounds per square yard, pounds per acre, pounds per square mile, pounds per township, pounds per square fathom, pounds per square rod, pounds per square furlong, pounds per square league, pounds per square mil, pounds per square pole, pounds per square perch, pounds per square hand, pounds per square link, pounds per square chain, tons per square inch, tons per square foot, tons per square yard, tons per acre, tons per square mile, tons per township, tons per square fathom, tons per square rod, tons per square furlong, tons per square league, tons per square mil, tons per square pole, tons per square perch, tons per square hand, tons per square link, tons per square chain
7Energy: calorie, inch-pound, foot-pound, yard-pound, mile-pound, fathom-pound, rod-pound, furlong-pound, league-pound, mil-pound, pole-pound, perch-pound, hand-pound, link-pound, chain-pound, inch-ton, foot-ton, yard-ton, mile-ton, fathom-ton, rod-ton, furlong-ton, league-ton, mil-ton, pole-ton, perch-ton, hand-ton, link-ton, chain-ton
8Power: horsepower, inch-pound per second, foot-pound per second, yard-pound per second, mile-pound per second, fathom-pound per second, rod-pound per second, furlong-pound per second, league-pound per second, mil-pound per second, pole-pound per second, perch-pound per second, hand-pound per second, link-pound per second, chain-pound per second, inch-ton per second, foot-ton per second, yard-ton per second, mile-ton per second, fathom-ton per second, rod-ton per second, furlong-ton per second, league-ton per second, mil-ton per second, pole-ton per second, perch-ton per second, hand-ton per second, link-ton per second, chain-ton per second
9Temperature: degrees Fahrenheit
To measure the same range of the same quantities in the metric system, only the following units can occur:
1Length: meter
2Area: square meter (are)
3Volume: cubic meter (liter)
4Mass: gram (metric ton)
5Force: newton
6Pressure: pascal
7Energy: joule
8Power: watt
9Temperature: kelvin (degrees Celsius)
"The metric system is simply a better system of units than imperial"
Is consistently based on decimal numbers. (metric)
It uses different number systems (base 3, 8, 12, 14 & 16). (imperial)
Works well with percentages Percentages difficult to work out
Able to deal with very large and very small quantities (using prefixes) (metric)
Small quantities handled with awkward fractions (imperial)
One sort of unit for weight :gram, kilogram, etc (metric)
Two systems of weight:avoirdupois pounds, ounces, etc
troy pounds, ounces, etc (imperial)
One system of volume:millilitre, litre, cubic metre (metric)
Two systems of volume: pints, quarts, gallons cubic inches, feet and yards (imperial)
Handles mechanical and electrical quantities (metric)
No electrical units. Mixing imperial mechanical units and metric electrical ones is messy (imperial)
Units are the same internationally (metric)
Some units differ between UK and US (imperial)
-different pints and gallons
-different tons
-different fluid and dry ounces
Simple calculations such as floor area, energy consumption and volumes are easy (metric)
Simple calculations such as floor area, energy consumption and volumes are needlessly complicated (imperial)
http://www.metric4us.com/whynot.html
http://www.metric4us.com/why.html
The basic unit of weight in the British system is the grain - originally based on the weight of a grain of barley (but note that money was based on the grain of wheat - and that three grains of barley weigh the same as four of wheat). This grain is the troy grain - there is no other weight of the same name.
The weight of one grain is constant throughout the many different systems of British weights. As you will see below, the ounce and pound are anything but contstant, but have altered to meet circumstances over a period of over a thousand years.
The avoirdupois pound is the pound in general use today. As its name implies, it was intended to be used for weighing heavy goods. This pound is of 7000 grains, and is split into 16 ounces (each, therefore of 437.5 grains). Each ounce is divided into 16 drams (which my calculator makes of 27.34375 grains each - much more fun than metric isn't it?).
16 drams = 1 ounce
16 ounces = 1 pound
7 pounds = 1 clove
14 pounds = 1 stone
28 pounds = 1 tod
112 pounds = 1 hundredweight
364 pounds = 1 sack
2240 pounds = 1 ton
2 stones = 1 quarter
4 quarters = 1 hundredweight
20 hundredweight = 1 ton
-----------
The basic unit of English length is the yard, which was originally taken as the distance between Henry I's (1068-1135) nose and the tip of his outstretched arm.
Lengths 1 nail = 2¼ inches
4 inches = 1 hand
12 inches = 1 foot
3 foot = 1 yard
5.5 yards = 1 rod
6 foot = 1 fathom
22 yards = 1 chain
100 links = 1 chain
10 chains = 1 furlong
8 furlongs = 1 statute mile
6080 foot = 1 nautical mile
----------------
Pounds, Shillings and Pence - fun with Lsd
Until 15th February, 1971, Great Britain had much more interesting system of money, known as the pounds, shillings and pence system, or Lsd - the L coming from the latin word libra, the d coming from the latin word denarius (a roman coin). The penny has been the basic unit of currency from about 775. In 1971 the system was changed to follow the Russian model - the pound being divided into 100 'new' pennies. Inflation followed. The L is almost always written as a fancy or
This symbol (£) is shifted above the 3-key on an English keyboard.
Basics 12 pennies = 1 shilling
20 shillings = 1 pound
Until 1971, the coins in use were:
Half penny Known as a ha'penny
Penny
Three pence Known as a threpney bit
Sixpence Known as a tanner
Shilling Known as a bob
Florin = 2 shillings
Halfcrown = 2 shillings and six pence
Farthing = a quarter penny, last made in 1956
Penny The basic unit of currency from around 775 AD
Two pence Only made in 1797
Three pence Silver until 1945, brass 1945-1967
Groats = 4 pence. Made from 1836 to 1888
Sixpence
Shilling
Florin Two shillings. Made from 1849
Half crown Two shilling & six pence
Double florin Four shillings. 1887 - 1890
Crown Five shillings - still made
Half sovereign 10 shillings. Gold
Sovereign 1 pound. Gold
Two pounds Gold
Five pounds Gold
Before 1971, British currency was unique. Whereas the Americans just has dollars and cents and the French just had francs and centimes, the British had many types so it was possible to buy things that costed 2 ½d (two and a half pennies) or 2/- (2 shillings) or 3s, 1/6d (1 shilling, sixpence) or £2, 3s, 1/6d (two pounds, 1 shilling, sixpence)
-------------------------------------
volumes 60 minims = 1 fluid drachm
8 fluid drachms = 1 fluid ounce
20 fluid ounces = 1 pint
4 gills = 1 pint
2 pints = 1 quart
4 quarts = 1 gallon
2 gallons = 1 peck
4 pecks = 1 bushel
8 bushels = 1 quarter
36 bushels = 1 chaldron
Ale measures 9 gallons = 1 firkin
4 firkins = 1 barrel
Wine measures 52 ½ gallons = 1 hogshead
26 and 2 thirds fl. oz. = 1 bottle
----------------------
To measure the above mentioned quantities in the English Imperial system, all the following units can occur:
1Length: inch, foot, yard, mile, fathom, rod, furlong, league, mil, pole, perch, hand, link, chain
2Area: square inch, square foot, square yard, acre, square mile, township, square fathom, square rod, square furlong, square league, square mil, square pole, square perch, square hand, square link, square chain
3Volume: gallon, liquid quart, dry quart, liquid pint, dry pint, fluid ounce, teaspoon, tablespoon, minim, fluid dram, gill, peck, bushel, cubic inch, cubic foot, cubic yard, cubic fathom, cubic rod, cubic furlong, cubic mile, cubic league, cubic mil, cubic pole, cubic perch, cubic hand, cubic link, cubic chain
4Mass: pound, apoth. pound, ounce, apoth. ounce, dram, apoth. dram, grain, spoth. scruple, pennyweight, short hundredweight, long hundredweight, short ton, long ton
5Force: pound, ton
6Pressure: pounds per square inch, pounds per square foot, pounds per square yard, pounds per acre, pounds per square mile, pounds per township, pounds per square fathom, pounds per square rod, pounds per square furlong, pounds per square league, pounds per square mil, pounds per square pole, pounds per square perch, pounds per square hand, pounds per square link, pounds per square chain, tons per square inch, tons per square foot, tons per square yard, tons per acre, tons per square mile, tons per township, tons per square fathom, tons per square rod, tons per square furlong, tons per square league, tons per square mil, tons per square pole, tons per square perch, tons per square hand, tons per square link, tons per square chain
7Energy: calorie, inch-pound, foot-pound, yard-pound, mile-pound, fathom-pound, rod-pound, furlong-pound, league-pound, mil-pound, pole-pound, perch-pound, hand-pound, link-pound, chain-pound, inch-ton, foot-ton, yard-ton, mile-ton, fathom-ton, rod-ton, furlong-ton, league-ton, mil-ton, pole-ton, perch-ton, hand-ton, link-ton, chain-ton
8Power: horsepower, inch-pound per second, foot-pound per second, yard-pound per second, mile-pound per second, fathom-pound per second, rod-pound per second, furlong-pound per second, league-pound per second, mil-pound per second, pole-pound per second, perch-pound per second, hand-pound per second, link-pound per second, chain-pound per second, inch-ton per second, foot-ton per second, yard-ton per second, mile-ton per second, fathom-ton per second, rod-ton per second, furlong-ton per second, league-ton per second, mil-ton per second, pole-ton per second, perch-ton per second, hand-ton per second, link-ton per second, chain-ton per second
9Temperature: degrees Fahrenheit
To measure the same range of the same quantities in the metric system, only the following units can occur:
1Length: meter
2Area: square meter (are)
3Volume: cubic meter (liter)
4Mass: gram (metric ton)
5Force: newton
6Pressure: pascal
7Energy: joule
8Power: watt
9Temperature: kelvin (degrees Celsius)
"The metric system is simply a better system of units than imperial"
Is consistently based on decimal numbers. (metric)
It uses different number systems (base 3, 8, 12, 14 & 16). (imperial)
Works well with percentages Percentages difficult to work out
Able to deal with very large and very small quantities (using prefixes) (metric)
Small quantities handled with awkward fractions (imperial)
One sort of unit for weight :gram, kilogram, etc (metric)
Two systems of weight:avoirdupois pounds, ounces, etc
troy pounds, ounces, etc (imperial)
One system of volume:millilitre, litre, cubic metre (metric)
Two systems of volume: pints, quarts, gallons cubic inches, feet and yards (imperial)
Handles mechanical and electrical quantities (metric)
No electrical units. Mixing imperial mechanical units and metric electrical ones is messy (imperial)
Units are the same internationally (metric)
Some units differ between UK and US (imperial)
-different pints and gallons
-different tons
-different fluid and dry ounces
Simple calculations such as floor area, energy consumption and volumes are easy (metric)
Simple calculations such as floor area, energy consumption and volumes are needlessly complicated (imperial)
http://www.metric4us.com/whynot.html
http://www.metric4us.com/why.html
Just for a giggle these are extracts from actual performance reports on British Naval Officer cadets in the first year of their training.
The State of British English a wee bit on the sarky and acerbic side! :-)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
His men would follow him anywhere, but only out of curiosity.
I would not breed from this Officer.
This Officer is really not so much of a has-been, but more of a definitely won't-be.
When she opens her mouth, it seems that this is only to change whichever foot was previously in there.
He has carried out each and every one of his duties to his entire satisfaction.
He would be out of his depth in a car park puddle.
Technically sound, but socially impossible.
This Officer reminds me very much of a gyroscope - always spinning around at a frantic pace, but not really going anywhere.
This young lady has delusions of adequacy.
When he joined my ship, this Officer was something of a granny; since then he has aged considerably.
Since my last report he has reached rock bottom, and has started to dig.
She sets low personal standards and then consistently fails to achieve them.
He has the wisdom of youth, and the energy of old age.
This Officer should go far - and the sooner he starts, the better.
In my opinion this pilot should not be authorized to fly below 250 feet.
This man is depriving a village somewhere of an idiot.
The only ship I would recommend this man for is citizenship.
Works well when under constant supervision and cornered like a rat in a trap
_________________
If you want to know everything, buy a teenager!
Location: Cheshunt, Hertfordshire
Tue 30 Aug 2005 19:08hrs BST
I think the US should adopt the metric system - it's much simpler than the Imperial system, and it would integrate us with the rest of the world. Right now the only metric measurement you'll see much of in the US is the 2-liter bottle of soda. :-)
That said, baseball and (American) football should remain special Imperial zones. It will *only* ever be 90 feet between the bases, 60 feet 6 inches to the pitcher's mound, and 100 yards between the end zones. :-)
"I think the US should adopt the metric system - it's much simpler than the Imperial system, and it would integrate us with the rest of the world. Right now the only metric measurement you'll see much of in the US is the 2-liter bottle of soda."
I agree, but easier said than done. I have a firm mental picture of how long a mile is in my mind and how much a pound weighs, but can't really picture the length of a kilometer or the weight of a kilogram at all.
<<I agree, but easier said than done. I have a firm mental picture of how long a mile is in my mind and how much a pound weighs, but can't really picture the length of a kilometer or the weight of a kilogram at all.>>
The same applies for me. I know that the transition could be a bit difficult, but eventually people will come to have mental conceptions of meters and kilometers just like current-day Americans have of feet and miles. I think that overall the conveniences would outweigh the initial difficulty.
I'm so mad at Britishers. They don't like our spelling :(
Yes, I think the USA should adopt the metric system 100%. It does seem weird that the world's current superpower - until China takes over fairly soon :-) - still uses a system that really and truly belongs to a bygone age. Unless I'm mistaken even things in the stores are sold in imperial......lbs and ozs etc. That would now seem strange to people here in the UK where we are used to grams and kilos on all packaged stuff. Yet a lot of people (mostly older peeps) go down to the greengrocer and ask for "two pounds of tomatoes" even though the trader has, by law, to weigh out and sell by the metric equivalent. It's illegal to sell anything in imperial measures now....even spuds.
At least this country, the UK, is much further down the road towards total metrication than is the USA but even here it's stupid with total metrication in some things but not in others which affect people's lives a great deal...the most obvious being miles instead of kilometres on the roads and pints down at the old Crown and Anchor pub. Attempts have been made to serve foaming ale by the litre (liter to our American friends) instead of pints but that seemed to be sacrilege in the retarded minds of the old dinosaurs.
The whole of British industry and official organisations and concerns etc use metric measures....I've pointed this out in a previous post. It must be really difficult to change the mentality of people who still cling to old fashioned methods.
It's so strange to think in imperial yet the practical is now 100% metric ....except as I say the pint and the mile. Those seem to be the last bastions of archaic Imperialism. And most people still think in feet and inches and stones and pounds when measuring their height and weight but when being measured anywhere officially (such as at the medical centre or down at the gym or wherever) it is invariably in Cms or M/cms and kilos.
Except for mostly old people nobody in the UK thinks in Fahrenheit temperatures any more like they did years ago.
I think the USA is even more conservative than the UK and... heck!.... that's saying something!
Ireland has now converted to kilometres on all its road signs so it's only a matter of time before we do the same, even though it will cost the UK squillions more to do this than it did the Irish. I'm not sure in what measures they serve Guinness over in Ireland now...maybe by the litre.
Ooops: Guest in last post was petit moi. no, not a petit pois....me! I'm not green!
Ryan & Lazar,
C'est très simple : un km c'est mille mètres tandis qu'un kilo c'est mille grammes... ;)
La taille moyenne des hommes est de 1m75 en France et en Allemagne contre 1m80 aux Etats-Unis. Les femmes font en général 10 cm de moins que les hommes.
La distance moyenne de la Terre à la Lune est de 384.000 km. Terre-Soleil : 1.500.000 km. Le diamètre terrestre est de 12.750 km.
La lumière parcourt 300.000 km/s dans le vide. Le son parcourt 340 m/s (1.235 km/h) dans l'air et 1.500 m/s (5.450 km/h) dans l'eau.
La distance (à vol d'oiseau) entre New-York et Los Angeles est de 3.935 km. Paris-Moscou : 1.415 km. Québec - New-York : 700 km.
Un litre d'eau pèse un kilo. L'eau (douce) gèle à 0° et bout à 100° (sauf en altitude où elle bout à une température plus basse : 72° au sommet de l'Everest).
La mer est à 15° : l'eau est froide. La mer est à 25 ° : l'eau est chaude.
La température de l'air est de 10° : il fait froid. La température de l'air est de 20 ° : il fait bon. La température de l'air est de 30 ° : il fait chaud.
Bonne chance !
I like metric because it makes my willy sound bigger than it is - 30 cm sounds much larger than a mere 12 inches!!
30 cm ... if that's true you should visit a doctor.
|