cassie

The problem with metric is that too many of its proponents wish to abolish imperial measurement whilst, in marked contrast, many supporters of imperial measurement will tolerate metric being available for the arithmetically challenged.

I think the time has come to show similar intolerance of metric on England's road signs which, for centuries (ie long before metric!), have been in miles or parts thereof. Besides, it's part of OUR culture!

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Northumbrian

Like it was in Australia, Canada etc. ?

cassie

What exactly is your point?

You seem to have propensity to look abroad for some kinds of examples. Why do you engage in these unnecessary prevarications? Can't English people make their own decisions, stand their own ground?

If you are that bothered about the practices in foreign countries, what about the USA, with which we do much trading?

I suppose you'll be digressing into which side of the road we drive on next, and all the usual exceptions will be trotted out there also?

Your position hardly seems English!



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Britannist

I agree Cassie - metric is not English. Our system is Imperial measurements - the system (as you rightly point out Cassie) also used in the world's most powerful economy: the USA (or biggest single trading partner).

The last thing we want is metric - America wants to receive UK imports in Imperial.

English/British people prefer Imperial measurements

Britannist

People are being taken to court for using Imperial measurements - how would you like it if a colleague or friend of yours ended up in court for using metric measurements?

g hall

1. It's a question of what we're used to
2. Metrification is based on a lie and is only popular because of Napoleon
3. Of course it matters take away imperial and what next for our culture

All road markings should be in imperial or imperial and metric BUT NOT metric alone as I pointed out to the local authority the fact that they were in breach of the law

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PolishUser

You are WRONG. The imperial system is not British or English - it is Roman, hence why it is called imperial. Even the abbrevations of imperial units are Roman (lb = libbra; oz = onza). By contrast, the metric system is English (proof: UK metric association) and the Americans are now adopting it (proof: myths about metric). Once the US adopts the metric system, the UK will be the only state using it (American measures are different than British measures anyway).

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Northumbrian

My point is what's culture got to do it? Just because something's been done this way for x number of years doesn't mean it always has to be.

To use an example closer to home - I take it you've got used to decimal currency, or would you prefer to revert to pounds, shillings and pence?

PolishUser

Heck, the US is now metric rather than non-metric!
http://www.metricmethods.com/

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A vote for the Labour Party or the SNP is a vote for the Argentine police state.

cassie

Without wishing to indulge in an academic game of semantics, dare I suggest that after some two thousand years of usage, it is reasonable to regard 'imperial' as English.

Indeed, by your own account, metric was only conceived - let alone used, let alone widely used - less than four hundred of those two millennia.

Would it be indelicate of me to suggest that you are splitting hairs in order to bolster a non-existent case? You might just as well (unpatriotically) assert that the numbering system in widespread use in England since the third century AD is Arabic rather than Roman? Who really cares apart from those will to dredge up any and every excuse (for it is no more than that) in vain efforts to justify the use of metric!

My main objection to metric is its very simplicity: it can be difficult to gauge what the size of the results of calculations. To the slide rule generation accustomed to interpreting calculation results, metric still presents unnecessary difficulties which miles, yards, feet etc do not! Perhaps it is the current metric generation which manages to get estimates so spectacularly wrong! One or two decimal point errors can allow errors to pass which too many feet or inches will not permit!

Your point about the USA is very ambitious! Besides, very many of us 'imperialists' can use both; it is the current generation indoctrinated to use only metric and to avoid imperial which is intolerant of other measures.


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