We had this same discussion on this listserver in 1997. 

At that time, I called it WOMBAT (Way Of Measuring Badly in America Today).



Paul Trusten, Registered Pharmacist
Vice President and Public Relations Director
U.S. Metric Association, Inc.
Midland, Texas, USA
+1(432)528-7724
www.metric.org
[email protected]


On Aug 21, 2013, at 17:06, Natalia Permiakova <[email protected]> wrote:

> i think "US Customary" is better than "Imperial"
> 
> so, I like any of the options:
> 
> US Customary and Metric
> or 
> US Customary and Standard (too good to be true to see it today on usps.com, 
> in reverse order - event better)
> or
> US Customary and The Rest of The World ( ;-) )
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> From: John M. Steele <[email protected]>
> To: U.S. Metric Association <[email protected]> 
> Sent: Wednesday, August 21, 2013 1:41 PM
> Subject: [USMA:53186] Re: Metric / Imperial / "Standard"
> 
> Since the US system is unique, it needs a unique name.  NIST uses the term, 
> U.S. Customary, so we ought to use it.
>  
> Seems to me that inch-pound is a rather generic term for any system that uses 
> inches and pounds.  It could be applied as a "catch-all" to describe 
> commonality of US Customary, Imperial, and any related  versions.
>  
> The US version is NOT Imperial as evidenced by the different gallon, bushel, 
> ton, and the lack of a stone.  Imperial is a measurement system of the United 
> Kingdom, adapted from earlier systems in 1824.  It was probably used by most 
> British Commonwealth countries before they went metric.  NONE of the new 1824 
> definitions were adopted by the United States; it continued using various 
> pre-Imperial units.
> 
> From: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
> To: U.S. Metric Association <[email protected]> 
> Sent: Wednesday, August 21, 2013 12:57 PM
> Subject: [USMA:53181] Re: Metric / Imperial / "Standard"
> 
> Concerning Metric Pioneer's recent correspondence, I've always had a problem 
> with what to call the U.S. measurements.
> 
> Officially, the term "inch-pound" has been used.  I don't care for that 
> because it does not indicate clearly a measurement system.  Moreover, it 
> singles out only two measurements, whereas there are many in the "system."
> 
> Another common term used is "U.S. Customary" (USC).  Is this a good choice?
> 
> Now "Imperial" is being recommended by some.  Is this a good alternative? I 
> suspect that most people would not connect "imperial" with the United States, 
> perhaps Canada.
> 
> I agree that "standard" is not a good choice at all.  The standard should be 
> SI metric.
> 
> Paul Trusten and you other USMA officers out there, what is the current 
> recommendation?
> 
> Martin Morrison
> USMA "Metric Today" Columnist
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 

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