----- Original Message ----- From: "Anna Langley" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, 2001-03-03 06:46 Subject: Re: [ukma] Imperial Ingrained into English Language > > On Fri, 2 Mar 2001 18:50:56 -0000, "Phil Durden" wrote: > > Yes this probably is the case, but surely it would be the case in > > Australia, > > Canada and Ireland too? And yet they have managed to convert far > > better than > > we (I speak NOT for myself, or any of you). > > Speaking _only_ from my experience and impressions from Australia (based on the first 37 years of my life) I would say that the following factors (in no particular order) were significant there: > > 1. Australia is not living off past glories like Britain. So is less attached to the past. > 2. Correspondingly, Australia is quite a forward looking country generally (apart from the Prime Minister!). Australia tends to adopt new ideas and technologies early, and finds it easy to adapt to new ideas. > 3. Australia hasn't had a centuries old enmity with the country from which metric originated. Indeed, apart from the odd nuclear test in Australia's neighbourhood, Australians generally seem quite favourably disposed towards the French. Indeed a lot of urban Australians (and it is the most urbanised of countries) are quite xenophilic, and cosmopolitan in outlook. Imperial is thus seen as regressive. > 4. If there is any national prejudice involved, it would be against Britain (and imperial). Down to the use of Australian and New Zealander soldiers as cannon fodder in the wars. Not to mention the attitudes that come from the convict days. > 5. Australians are down to earth and practical. Thus they mostly see imperial measurements as "bloody stupid". > 6. There is no UKIP muddying the waters! And if there were, it is simply too late. > 7. There was never the impression of another country forcing metric on Australia. I don't know if that would make a difference though, because when America says "jump", Australia says "how high?". > 8. Australians could tell that a pint was a unit of measurment, and not a synonym for "beer". > > Cheers, > > Anna > Future asylum seeker on the continent, when the UKIP is elected! > > -- > Anna Langley - [EMAIL PROTECTED] > London UK
