Re: measuring systems (was: Selenites)

Pablo wrote:
>>1 fanegada = 6400 m^2 (note is not 2^6 x 10^2 from a
>>binary-decimal system but 80^2)
>>1 libra (pound) = 500 g = 1/2 kg
>I think there was a time when we used _libra_ and also _arroba_.
>An _arroba_ was 10 kg (used for  potatoes and that sort of food).
>People still read the '@' sign as "arroba" (that was the symbol it
>used). This is a bit ridiculous when used in an e-mail address... :)
_Arroba_ is also used in Colombia, as a unit of weight probably 10 kg but
actually I don't know) and for reading email addresses.  Many other units
are used like _bulto_ with an official value and a common one,  _saco_ which
becomes standard when speaking about coffe grains, _barril_ used when given
oil production (I supossed there is a counterpart in English).

On lengh units I included _cuadra_ as 80 m.  This is the standard measure
for _cuadra_ but the common one is, as Pablo said, the distance between to
blocks in a city.

==========================================
Tom Wier wrote:
> (I frankly don't understand the argument that keeping the names would
cause
> confusion;  context will always tell you that, almost without exception,
I'm sure)

I guess the main problem with any change in the US are the industrial
standards, but not too hard as John Cowan says, and this would be less
noticeable if names are changed.

But a _vara_ in Colombia were not 80 cm but 78 cm, and one _libra_ (pound)
was near 450 g it was not the 453 g English pound but neither the 500 g used
now a days).

When the metric system was adopted, all the official papers and schools
begun using it and teaching it, but in casual conversation in a market
place, people did still use _libra_, _arroba_ and the others.  When
meassuring land, peassants still used _vara_, _cuadra_, _fanegada_.  After
those measures was not 100% standard, they where standardized into the
metric system.  When a housewife whent to the market and ask after 1 pound
of beef, would then get a little more than she expected, would have also pay
a little more, but there was inflation and especulation...
But then it was the traditional system the one who adapted to the metric
when the metric begun to be used and tought.

If such a measure (using metric system) is finnaly taken in the US, as
offitialy is, the traditional measures will be adapted by people, the
industry standard will still be used and there would be no big trauma.

If using traditional names for metric system, like mile for kilometer, and
adding a base ten derivated system with feets of 25cm and inches of 25 mm,
then it becomes messy.

-- Carlos Th