Jason, Do immigrants speak among themselves using metric units or do they conform to American practice of using English units even in their native languages? What about the goods they sell in their native shops? Are they sold to each other in metric units or English units (lbs of kg)?
Jerry ________________________________ From: Jason Darfus <[email protected]> To: U.S. Metric Association <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, January 18, 2009 2:05:39 PM Subject: [USMA:42355] Re: Is there any literature on metrication in the US aimed at immigrants? On 18 Jan 2009, at 09:39, Pierre Abbat wrote: > It appears that the immigrants try to conform to what they think is the way we > do it. Is there any literature aimed at people who come here already knowing > metric, but haven't lived through the introduction of metric in the 1970s, > empowering them to push Americans to metricate? > > Pierre I think you're right in suggesting that immigrants, most of whom are inherently from metricated countries, feel it's not their place to complain about the way things are done here regarding measurement. The thought of producing some kind of a handout to be given to immigrants in the grocery store has occurred to me. This could be produced in an attractive way, written in multiple languages, and would ask the patrons to request of store management the posting of metric pricing signs in the produce, deli, and meats departments for example. The stores would also have to be equipped with switchable scales, as all the grocery stores I visit use scales that are only capable of displaying "lbs". I've written to the stores I shop at and my request has been summarily ignored, but they probably would take notice if they received many similar requests. I've even offered to buy a new dual unit hanging scale for a local coffee roaster/store if they'd price their beans by the kilo or 100g in addition to their lbs. Again there was no response.
