On Mar 9 , at 11:33 AM, Pat Naughtin wrote: > The USA tends to take the "soft metric conversion" approach. You can see this > in labels such as "1 pint (473 mL)" where metric conversion is simply added > to the old pre-metric measuring words in a secondary position. The USA has > not yet made the transition from "soft metric conversion" to "hard metric > conversion" where (say) "1 pint (473 mL)" becomes "500 mL" with a rounded > whole number and without any reference to old measuring words.
I think the US is more "mixed" in it's marketing and labeling than it is "all" soft conversion. I just selected six containers of fluid products in my kitchen and bathroom and found these results: ======================= Product ----------------------------------------- Contents of the container exactly as on the label ======================= Soft drink ----------------------------------------- 2 LITERS (67.6 FL OZ) 2 QT 3.6 FL OZ ======================= Liquid hand soap ----------------------------------------- 8.75 fl oz/259 mL ======================= Shampoo ----------------------------------------- 23.7 FL OZ (700 mL) ======================= Bleach ----------------------------------------- 182 FL OZ (5.68 QT) 5.38 L ======================= Milk ----------------------------------------- HALF GALLON (1.89L) ======================= Bottled water ----------------------------------------- 16.8 FL OZ (500 mL) ======================= Three (50%) are clearly hard conversions to simple, round numbers of millilitres (even with correct symbol, "mL"), the 2 L, 500 mL and 500 mL containers. Only (17%) one is blatantly soft conversion, the half gallon one. The remaining two (33%), the 8.75 fl oz and 183 fl oz, are admittedly probably soft conversion. However, NEITHER the Olde English value nor the metric value is a simple, rounded number. I see this as being a case of, "who can really tell which is the original and which is the converted value" and "if one can't tell, it doesn't really matter". Bill Hooper Member, US Metric Association www.metric.org
