Jun 26, 2008 19:25
16 yrs ago
1 viewer *
English term
United States
Technical and Practical Expertise
Native in: English 
Works in: Spanish to English, English, English to Spanish
Meters or Feet?
Non-PRO
English
Other
Linguistics
In England is height measured in meters or feet? (If it is meters, then I would need to spell it metre, correct?)
TIA!
TIA!
Responses
| 4 +5 | Yes, metres |
Jack Doughty
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| 3 +1 | either |
Armorel Young
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Responses
+5
5 mins
Jack Doughty
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
&
English
United Kingdom
Translator since 1953
Native in: English
Works in: Russian to English, German to English, English
Related KudoZ points
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197
Selected
Yes, metres
Measurements of most things are officially supposed to be metric here, apart from distances on roads, which are still marked in miles, and we are still more familiar with fuel consumption in miles per gallon rather than kilometres (not kilometers) per litre (not liter). But a lot of old fogeys like me still think in feet and inches.
Anyway, you're right about the spelling.
Anyway, you're right about the spelling.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
warren
: Both responses are right - officially correct & officially supposed to be - being the matter of fact, but Jack's it more concise
2 hrs
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Thank you.
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| agree |
Will Matter
2 hrs
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Thank you.
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| agree |
Gary D
: be careful as mountains are measured in feet, and aircraft also cruise at 36,000 feet.
12 hrs
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Thank you. So just as well that there are no mountains higher than 30,000 feet.
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| agree |
BdiL
: It's always a pleasure to learn from a member of a language community. There's more to "old fogey" than in a treatise!! I'm still laughing. Thank you, sir! Maurice
12 hrs
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Thank you. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old fogey
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| neutral |
Cilian O'Tuama
: dunno where the aircraft come into it, but if you're asked to state your height, i.e. how tall you are, I think most ENS would answer in feet.
1 day 5 mins
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Well, I certainly would. Maybe I'm not such an old fogey as I thought I was.
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| agree |
Rachel Fell
: Quite agree (also a feet and inches person), though height of interior walls, furniture, etc., is usu. in millimetres...
1 day 23 hrs
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Thank you. I still think my ceiling height here is about 6ft 9in., I'd have to work out what that is in mm.
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Many thanks to both of you. Wish I could split the points! Thanks for your interesting explanation, Jack."
+1
5 mins
either
Metres are probably officially correct. But both are widely understood, and older people in particular tend to be more comfortable with feet.
Discussion