Great thesis, Tom! I'll add it to my metrication vocabulary---especially because I am a native of one of the 13 colonies (Massachusetts).
Paul Paul Trusten, Reg. Pharmacist Vice President U.S. Metric Association, Inc. Midland, Texas USA www.metric.org +1(432)528-7724 trus...@grandecom.net On Aug 29, 2013, at 15:08, Tom Wade <tom.w...@tomwade.eu> wrote: > >> i think "US Customary" is better than "Imperial" >> >> so, I like any of the options: >> >> US Customary and Metric >> or >> US Customary and Standard (too good to be true to see it today on usps.com, >> in reverse order - event better) >> or >> US Customary and The Rest of The World ( ;-) ) > As has been pointed out "Imperial" is incorrect, as the Imperial System was a > term applied after a number of changes were made. Since these changes were > introduced after American independence, they were never adopted there, hence > what remained in the US could not technically be called Imperial (it is also > why some American units like the pint and gallon are different from the > British ones - the American ones are older). > > The name I prefer to use is Colonial. The reason I like this is: > > - it is technically accurate. It is a system that dates back to when what is > now the US was known as the American Colonies. > - it makes the point that the system is not American, but was imposed by the > British in the past. > - it removes the cloak of nationalism from those who try to portray > themselves as patriots in trying to preserve the Colonial System (perhaps the > USMA should create a "Benedict Arnold" award for any prominent championing of > the Colonial System or resistance to metrication). > - it emphasises that it is a very out of date system. > - it portrays the metrication process as very much a continuation of the work > of Jefferson and the Founding Fathers, who quickly replaced one pound (the > currency) whereas metrication seeks to complete the task by replacing the > other one (the weight). > - it is a mild put-down without being simply an insulting term like "Wombat" > or "FFU" (Fred Flintstone Units). > > Tom Wade >
