Re: Accents

On Tue, 8 Jan 2002 12:55:37 -0500
John Cowan <jcowan@...> wrote:

> Stephen Mulraney wrote:
>
> > BTW, why do Americans call # ('hash', 'octothorp') the 'pound symbol' ??
>
> Because it used to be written *following* a number on bags full of
> stuff to indicate their weight in pounds, thus:  20# = 20 pounds
> weight.
Ah, curious. It's not really an explanation though, is it? ;)
On the other hand most likely someone sometime just thought it
would be a good idea. Here in Ireland and also in the U.K. where
pounds are often used, one writes '20 lb', from the abbreviation
for whatever latin word 'libra'  - a balance or a weight of one
roman pound (about 3/4 a modern pound). My parents use exclusively
the imperial system (not always the same as the American system -
you don't think anyone really drinks only an *American* pint of
beer, do you? g:) ) while younger people use a mix, but oddly
always quoting a person's height in feet and inches...

> (One pound = 2.2 kg, for the maior et sanior part of the word.)
The other way round - 1 lb.= 454g (as one learns from tubs of butter
which are sold as is traditional in pounds, but are actually marked
in grams...)

Stephen Mulraney

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