A commonly used and best approach for area/square metre(s) is m^2 to avoid
changing case. So why not standardize this when the superscript is not or
cannot be used?
Stan Doore
.
----- Original Message -----
From: Stephen Humphreys
To: U.S. Metric Association
Sent: Sunday, January 25, 2009 12:29 PM
Subject: [USMA:42532] Re: Is there any literature on metrication in the US
aimed at immigrants?
I have seen a more widespread use of 'sq m' come in -and then go. I suspect
that there was a moment in time when the threat of law came down on these
advertisers and then rescinded.
I'm in agreement with you that 'second houses abroad' tend to be in sq m - I
know this from practical reasons.
UK houses tend to be sold by individual room W x L than via square measures
though - again just a historical thing probably.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: [USMA:42527] Re: Is there any literature on metrication in the US
aimed at immigrants?
Date: Sun, 25 Jan 2009 17:19:03 +0000
Steve,
You might well have noticed that over the past few months an increasing
number of estate agents are using both square feet and square metres in their
advertisements for office space (at least they do where I live, which according
to my motorway junction is 55.7 km from the middle of London).
Also, today, I saw a set of house advertisements that were entirely in metric
units – OK, they were for Spanish houses, but if Britons insist on using square
feet, how will they know what they are being sold if they are buying a place in
the sun?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of
Stephen Humphreys
Sent: 25 January 2009 16:57
To: U.S. Metric Association
Subject: [USMA:42520] Re: Is there any literature on metrication in the US
aimed at immigrants?
An example of business use - office space is advertised in sq feet. Rarely
this is backed up by bracketed sq m.
Try not to make it look as if the only imperial used is in the newspapers and
on TV.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: [USMA:42501] Re: Is there any literature on metrication in the US
aimed at immigrants?
Date: Sun, 25 Jan 2009 16:08:37 +0000
Jerry,
As regards units of measure, Britain runs an Apartheid system – business and
official matters are conducted in metric units, but the press barons have
instructed their editors to convert any metric units into imperial units for
the benefit of the British consumer. As a result the man-in-the-street is
unfamiliar with metric units unless he comes across them in his work situation.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Jeremiah MacGregor [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: 24 January 2009 15:22
To: Martin Vlietstra; U.S. Metric Association
Subject: Re: [USMA:42425] Re: Is there any literature on metrication in the
US aimed at immigrants?
Martin,
Why would they convert back? Isn't Britain fully metric now like Australia
and others? I thought they converted in the 1960s, so by now only the real old
should still remember older units.
Jerry
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Martin Vlietstra <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]; U.S. Metric Association
<[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, January 24, 2009 10:20:38 AM
Subject: RE: [USMA:42425] Re: Is there any literature on metrication in the
US aimed at immigrants?
When traveling on the Continent, I have noticed that most British travelers
tend to repeat the units that they have heard or seen – they tend not to
convert back to Imperial units.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of
Jeremiah MacGregor
Sent: 24 January 2009 14:28
To: U.S. Metric Association
Subject: [USMA:42425] Re: Is there any literature on metrication in the US
aimed at immigrants?
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.
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