The point is well made that the term WOMBAT is not understood by others
off this list and when explained it is taken to be derogatory and
likely to annoy rather than educate. Here on this list, though, it's a
nifty name.
To build on Bill's suggestion, I'm starting to lean towards calling
them the "once-customary U.S. units". In fact, they are not as
customary as they once were, hence the "once-customary". We have agreed
that they differ from the units used in the U.K for the previous 200
years, so they are "U.S." and not "English" nor even, for the most
part, "colonial".
In public, when I care to covey polite disdain for them, I tend to use
"archaic U.S. units" or "American Hodgepodge of units". Again, for more
polite reference, I back "once-customary U.S. units".
Jim
On Wednesday 16 May 2001 0420, Bill Potts wrote:
> I have a preference for "U.S. customary." It helps, of course, to
> point out to the reader that the stress is on "customary," as opposed
> to a U.S. standard -- which is non-existent.
>
> Bill Potts, CMS
> Roseville, CA
> http://metric1.org [SI Navigator]
....
--
James R. Frysinger University/College of Charleston
10 Captiva Row Dept. of Physics and Astronomy
Charleston, SC 29407 66 George Street
843.225.0805 Charleston, SC 29424
http://www.cofc.edu/~frysingj [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Cert. Adv. Metrication Specialist 843.953.7644
