[Ads-l] The whole 8.2 meters

[Herb Stahlke]

When we summer at our cottage in Ontario, we buy lumber by the foot, not in
cms.

On Wed, Feb 18, 2015 at 4:30 AM, Eric Nielsen <ericbarnak at gmail.com> wrote:

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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Eric Nielsen <ericbarnak at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      The whole 8.2 meters
>
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>
> Yesterday, my seven-year old roommate was asking where she could plug in
> one of her many electronic devices. When I asked how close she needed to be
> to the outlet, she replied, "Oh, about a meter."
>
> In both of my current jobs I am involved with young people: A public
> library and a Safe Home for abused and neglected children. I have heard all
> kinds of language from kids, but, until now, I had not heard any of them
> use the metric system so fluently. Well, perhaps a "kilometer" here or
> there. Or grams and kilos from the drug savvy.
>
> My roommate said that they will learn about inches, miles, etc.at a later
> date--and cursive next year.
> Will one have to go the whole 9.1 meters for a first down in football?
>
> Eric
>
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