LL-L "Measure words" 2002.12.13 (04) [E/Spanish]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 13.DEC.2002 (04) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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From: Jorge Potter <jorgepot at caribe.net>
Subject: LL-L "Measure words" 2002.12.05 (04) [D/E]


Estimado Ron (Rum) y demás aficionados de lenguas de países bajos,

In 1946, when I was new in Puerto Rico, with one year of university,
majoring in physics, I was bemused that we had speed limit signs in mph and
cars with speedometers in mph, but all distances and "milestones," actually
kilometer stones, left by the Spaniards in 1898 in kilometers. Kilometer
stones are called "mojones," literally "wet ones," the identical word for
"turds." Actually, we had one old International carry-all with the
speedometer in kph and I delighted in showing visitors around,speeding
around our cliffside curves as my victims thought it was mph they were
enduring.

At that time we bought milk in "litros," but they were actually quarts. Now
rum (ron) and wine come in 750 ml. bottles. We buy gas in liters, but brag
that our cars get 28 miles per gallon. I don't know who actually calculates
that. And of course, soda pop in 2 l. bottles.

But the real nitty-gritty is in machine parts, especially bolts, as we buy
machines made in the US with Kawasaki engines, etc. I have machines with
metric threads, but the heads are in the American "system," taking
fractional inch size wrenches!

Here's another goodie: I was brought up to believe that a 1/2 " bolt  had a
shaft diameter of 1/2", but some manuals describe a machine screw as a "13
mm bolt." Come to find out, this means that the bolthead takes a 13 mm
wrench, but I haven't the foggiest what the shaft diameter or threads per
inch, excuse me, it couldn't be per inch, or per meter or per millimeter.
Per centimeter would be a poor choice. AAAAAgh!

I'm sorry. There is a message to all my ranting. I do believe that
eventually international matching and mixing will force the US to go metric
and as yet I have no metric taps, dies or drills.

¡Válgame Dios!

Jorge Potter from a confused island

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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Measure words

¡Hola, Jorge!

Tú escribiste (arriba):

> Estimado Ron (Rum) ...

Ahora el hombre de la isla confusa me ha confundido... ¿Está "Rum" una
palabra de la medida, la bebida alcohólica ("ron"), o es él relacionado a
Rum, la parte europea de Turquía, y a Rumi, el gran maestro de los Sufis?
Lo sospecho está la bebida. ¡Pero soy un te'-totaller (aunque el ron era
realmente mi licor preferido en una de mis vidas anteriores)!

Respeto amistoso,

Reinhard/Ron

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