Pat, Thanks for the useful clarifications!
I'm still wondering what people say in daily conversation. For example, if a random sample of Australians was asked to guess the length, height, and width of a desk that they were standing in front of, how would that sample break down in terms of using millimeters, centimeters, and Imperial in their answers? Are there any attributes (such as age, education level, metric usage in the industry where an individual works, etc.) that correlate strongly and positively with a particular usage (mm, cm, or Imperial). Any thoughts? Ezra -------------- Original message ---------------------- From: Pat Naughtin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Dear Ezra, > > The situation in Australia is that many (probably most) industries adopted a > measurement policy as part of their move to 'go metric' in the 1970s. These > were, I stress, measurement policies set by individual industries the > policies, the implementation dates, and the individual practices were set by > the particular industry metrication committees. > > Most of these worked and worked extremely well and metrication was more or > less all over within a year or two. So much so that most people don't even > remember the process, and in particular, they don't remember any pain that > was associated with 'going metric'. > > Let me be clear: there was no directive. > > There were no government directives and there were no industry directives. > An industry advisory panel simply devised a metrication policy for the > industry and the people in that industry were free to follow that policy or > not as they saw fit in the interests of their own businesses. I personally > saw some sad cases where individual business owners tried to keep their old > imperial measures in an increasingly metric world they have now all gone > broke or they have changed their ways to metric. > > Notable successes were those where the industry leaders chose a policy based > on millimetres. > > Some industries did not devise a clear metrication policy so the people in > that industry had to either devise their own measurement policy or to try to > operate without a measurement policy. These industries often ended up with a > truly garbled collection of units from all around the world, particularly > from other English speaking countries especially the UK and the USA. > > Notable failures were those that chose a measurement policy based on > centimetres they are still struggling with metric conversions if they are > still in business. > > Most people were unaware that metrication was an issue. They went along with > the metric policies of their industry leaders and got with it; got over it; > and then got on with it! > > You will still hear old pre-metric words to describe metric items. For > example 12 mm copper tubing is often called '1/2 inch' even though it has > been a ling time since this tubing was made in inches. > > Similarly, the mass of newborn babies is back translated to lbs and ozs to > make comparisons with grandma's babies I believe that about 10 000 babies > die each year from medical errors that are based on this conversion > practice. > > On 2007 02 15 9:17 AM, "[EMAIL PROTECTED]" > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > To clarify: what I'm curious about is what most people in Australia in the > > absence of a particular directive (like the one to use mm in engineering > > drawings or cm in the textile industry) "chose" to use in their daily lives > > when describing lengths that often are expressed with cm in other metric > > countries. > > > > Ezra > > > > -------------- Original message ---------------------- > >> > > >> > > >> > On 2/13/07, [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > >> wrote: > >> > I'm wondering if our Australian folks can tell us what people Down > >> Under > >> > prefer to use when talking about the height cleared by a high jumper or > >> > the > >> > length of skis. > >> > > >> > Ezra > >> > > >> > -------------- Original message ---------------------- > >> > From: "Harry Wyeth" < [EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >>> > > I cast my vote for continued use of cm. mm is useful, of course, > >> > depending on > >>> > > the size involved. It's easy to say that a sliver in your finger > >>> > is > 3 mm > >> > long, > >>> > > but much more convenient to say your skis are 180 cm in length or > >>> that the > >> > down > >>> > > tube on your bike is 46 cm or that the high jumper cleared 195 cm. > My > >> > height is > >>> > > 176 cm, or "one seventy six". People understand the differences > >>> > >>> > between > >> > mm and > >>> > > cm, and I don't really think there is danger of confusion. Using > >>> > cm > a lot > >> > will > >>> > > not delay whatever progress we may make in metrication in this >>> > country. > >>> > > > >>> > > HARRY WYETH > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > >> > From: "Harry Wyeth" < [EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >> > To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]> > >> > Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2007 04:06:17 +0000 > >> > Subject: [USMA:37956] mm vs. cm > >> > > >> > I cast my vote for continued use of cm. mm is useful, of course, > >> depending > >> > on the size involved. It's easy to say that a sliver in your finger is 3 > >> mm > >> > long, but much more convenient to say your skis are 180 cm in length or > >> that the > >> > down tube on your bike is 46 cm or that the high jumper cleared 195 cm. > >> > My > >> > height is 176 cm, or "one seventy six". People understand the > >> > differences > >> > between mm and cm, and I don't really think there is danger of confusion. > >> Using > >> > cm a lot will not delay whatever progress we may make in metrication in > >> this > >> > country. > >> > > >> > HARRY WYETH > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > -- > >> > "The boy is dangerous, they all sense it why can't you?" > > > > > > >
--- Begin Message --- Title: Re: [USMA:37964] Re: mm vs. cm Dear Ezra,
The situation in Australia is that many (probably most) industries adopted a measurement policy as part of their move to 'go metric' in the 1970s. These were, I stress, measurement policies set by individual industries — the policies, the implementation dates, and the individual practices were set by the particular industry metrication committees.
Most of these worked and worked extremely well and metrication was more or less all over within a year or two. So much so that most people don't even remember the process, and in particular, they don't remember any pain that was associated with 'going metric'.
Let me be clear: there was no directive.
There were no government directives and there were no industry directives. An industry advisory panel simply devised a metrication policy for the industry and the people in that industry were free to follow that policy or not as they saw fit in the interests of their own businesses. I personally saw some sad cases where individual business owners tried to keep their old imperial measures in an increasingly metric world — they have now all gone broke or they have changed their ways to metric.
Notable successes were those where the industry leaders chose a policy based on millimetres.
Some industries did not devise a clear metrication policy so the people in that industry had to either devise their own measurement policy or to try to operate without a measurement policy. These industries often ended up with a truly garbled collection of units from all around the world, particularly from other English speaking countries especially the UK and the USA.
Notable failures were those that chose a measurement policy based on centimetres — they are still struggling with metric conversions if they are still in business.
Most people were unaware that metrication was an issue. They went along with the metric policies of their industry leaders and got with it; got over it; and then got on with it!
You will still hear old pre-metric words to describe metric items. For example 12 mm copper tubing is often called '1/2 inch' even though it has been a ling time since this tubing was made in inches.
Similarly, the mass of newborn babies is back translated to lbs and ozs to make comparisons with grandma's babies — I believe that about 10 000 babies die each year from medical errors that are based on this conversion practice.
On 2007 02 15 9:17 AM, "[EMAIL PROTECTED]" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
To clarify: what I'm curious about is what most people in Australia in the absence of a particular directive (like the one to use mm in engineering drawings or cm in the textile industry) "chose" to use in their daily lives when describing lengths that often are expressed with cm in other metric countries.
Ezra
-------------- Original message ----------------------
>
>
> On 2/13/07, [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED] > wrote:
> I'm wondering if our Australian folks can tell us what people Down Under
> prefer to use when talking about the height cleared by a high jumper or the
> length of skis.
>
> Ezra
>
> -------------- Original message ----------------------
> From: "Harry Wyeth" < [EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > I cast my vote for continued use of cm. mm is useful, of course,
> depending on
> > the size involved. It's easy to say that a sliver in your finger is 3 mm
> long,
> > but much more convenient to say your skis are 180 cm in length or that the
> down
> > tube on your bike is 46 cm or that the high jumper cleared 195 cm. My
> height is
> > 176 cm, or "one seventy six". People understand the differences between
> mm and
> > cm, and I don't really think there is danger of confusion. Using cm a lot
> will
> > not delay whatever progress we may make in metrication in this country.
> >
> > HARRY WYETH
>
>
>
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: "Harry Wyeth" < [EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]>
> Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2007 04:06:17 +0000
> Subject: [USMA:37956] mm vs. cm
>
> I cast my vote for continued use of cm. mm is useful, of course, depending
> on the size involved. It's easy to say that a sliver in your finger is 3 mm
> long, but much more convenient to say your skis are 180 cm in length or that the
> down tube on your bike is 46 cm or that the high jumper cleared 195 cm. My
> height is 176 cm, or "one seventy six". People understand the differences
> between mm and cm, and I don't really think there is danger of confusion. Using
> cm a lot will not delay whatever progress we may make in metrication in this
> country.
>
> HARRY WYETH
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> "The boy is dangerous, they all sense it why can't you?"
--- End Message ---
