Dear Euric, The Australian language is remarkable in that it has little regional variation even though it is quite large nation on a single continent of some 8 Mm2 (or 7 686 849 km2 to be more exact). Comparatively, mainland Australia is about the same size as the contiguous states of the USA.
However, there is one place that Australians carefully preserve their linguistic diversity � in the pub. Here is a list of the most common names of glasses, but be warned there are many others. New South Wales: Seven (200 mL), Middy (285 mL), Schooner (425 mL), Pint (various sizes from 425 mL to 585 mL) Northern Territory: Seven (200 mL), Handle (285 mL), Schooner (425 mL) Queensland: Beer (200 mL), Pot (285 mL), Schooner (425 mL), Jug (1125 mL) South Australia: Butcher (200 mL), Schooner (285 mL), Pint (425 mL) Tasmania: Seven (200 mL), Ten (285 mL), Pint (425 mL) Victoria: Pony (140 mL), Glass (200 mL), Pot (285 mL), Pint (various sizes from 425 mL to 600 mL) Western Australia: Shetland (115 mL), Pony (140 mL), Bobby (170 mL), Glass (200 mL), Middy (285 mL), Pot (575 mL) It�s interesting to note that some common terms, between states, refer to different sized glasses, and the names that clearly refer to the old ounces and pint sizes: �six�, �seven�, �ten�, and �pint� are only approximately related to the old measures � if at all � and they are all smaller. Currently, the pub industry is reintroducing the word pint back into Australia. However I stress that it is the 'word' pint that is being reintroduced; there appears to be no thought of reintroducing the quantity of a pint � either from the UK or the USA. Recently a friend ordered a 'pint' of Guinness in a country pub in Victoria; the 'pint' came in a can, clearly labelled 440 mL, which was poured into a 'pint' glass (585�mL) and this filled it (including the froth) to the brim. Clearly my friend received a 'pint' of 440 mL. Again, all references to a pint refer to a smaller amount of beer than either the UK or the USA pint! The most glaring case of pint-o-mania in Australian pubs is a pub in Punt Road in Melbourne � recently it renamed itself 'The Pint on Punt'. It's nice alliteration but it's lousy metrology. Cheers, Pat Naughtin LCAMS Geelong, Australia -- ** Dear Euric, I'll give you one guess as to why Pat is such an expert on beer glass sizes! I, on the other hand, drink wine, and there is no such thing as a 'standard' when it comes to a 'glass' of wine. That's exactly what they are. An indeterminate quantity of a red or white liquid in a glass container of variable size. Pat's wife Wendy on 2004-06-28 10.54, MightyChimp at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > Pat, > > Can you tell us what drink sizes are available in Australian pubs and how the > sizes are advertised. Do pints still exist? I heard the pint was rounded to > 600 mL, is this true? Are drinks ever sold in pubs in bottles and/or cans? > Do they have generic glass sizes, like large, medium and small? > > >
