Re: measuring systems (was: Selenites)

Pablo Flores wrote:

> Tom Wier wrote:
>
> >But here's a question:  if the US were to make a change over to the me=
tric
> >system, but kept its present units in remetricized forms, would you fi=
nd
> >that acceptable?  What I mean for example is we use meters, kilometers=
,
> >and so forth, but change the present value of mile to some useful mult=
iple
> >of the kilometer (like 1 mile =3D 2km, rather 1.6 km as now), and do t=
his with
> >other present units (1 inch would change from 2.54 cm to 2.5 or 2 cm, =
etc.).
> >What do you think? Would that still be confusing to you?
>
> No more than it would be for you :)
> No, in fact it would make the conversions a bit easier; but I don't thi=
nk that
> would be convenient. Everything written in the old system would create =
confusion.
> You'd have to indicate whether you're talking of the old miles or the n=
ew ones.

Why would it cause so much confusion? Did the Germans find it confusing t=
omake "ein Pfund"
equivalent to 500 grams? I doubt it.

> If the effort were going that far, it could go a little farther and swi=
tch
> to the metric system completely -- at least in all but informal occasio=
ns.

But that _would_ be the metric system; but with a few native elements add=
ed onfor convenience.

> BTW, what's the origin of the English names of measures ("yard", "pound=
",
> "gallon", "inch")? Does "mile" have something to do with the Latin root
> for Spanish _mil_ "one thousand"?
Here are the etymologies:

NE pound /p=E6und/ < ME pound /pUnd/ < OE pund < Lat. pond=F4
(a measurement of 12 ounces; weird that, because the modern
pound equals 16 ounces)

NE yard <  ME yerde, yarde /jErd@, jard@/ < OE gerd /jerd/
"twig, staff, measuring rod" < West Germanic *gazdj=F4 (which in
Early OE had rhotacized and undergone other changes to become
/gerd/)

NE gallon < ME gallun, gallon < ONorthF < MedLat gall=EAta
"jug, measure for wine" < (maybe from Celtic)

NE inch (2.54 cm) < ME inche /IntS@/ < ince, ynce /intSe, yntSe/
< Latin unica "twelfth part, inch, ounce" < Lat. =FBnus "one"

NE mile (1.60934 km) < ME mile /mi:l/ < OE m=EEl /mi:l/
< West Gmc *m=EElja /mi:lja/ < Lat. m=EElia, m=EEllia, the plural
of: m=EEle, m=EElle "thousand". The Roman mile was equal to
5000 paces, I believe.

Funny: 1 in 5 is of completely native origin, though
4 in 5 come via OE.

=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
Tom Wier <artabanos@...>
ICQ#: 4315704   AIM: Deuterotom
Website: <http://www.angelfire.com/tx/eclectorium/>
"Cogito ergo sum, sed credo ergo ero."

We look at [the Tao], and do not see it;
  Its name is the Invisible.
                 - Lao Tsu, _Tao Te Ching_

Nature is wont to hide herself.
                 - Herakleitos
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D

=0D