Problem to be solved - we need common names in the English vernacular for the distances 30 cm and 10 cm.
The old imperial system of distance measurements included the yard and the foot. These corresponded well to the kinds of everyday distances that we often need to measure and describe. So yard and foot were popular and widely used units of measure and words in the English vernacular.
Now in the metric system of distance measurements, the metre (meter in USA) corresponds closely to the yard, so it too has been easily accepted into the English vernacular and is a widely used unit of measurement in our everyday lives. But there is no metric unit corresponding closely to the foot (a foot is about 30.5 cm long). So we don’t have a simple metric word for a length similar to a foot. Can we invent such a word for a length of 30 cm?
And while we are at it, can we invent a common word for “10 centimetres”, because that is another easily visualised and useful length we need a common word for. Ten centimetres is one decimetre in the metric system, but the word decimetre is too long it seems to catch on as a common word.
Here are my suggestions. For 30 centimetres - either a “ruler” - because 30 cm is the length of your common or garden ruler and most people can easily visualise its length, or a “threedec” - standing for 3 decimetres. Although threedec looks a bit long it is easy to say (it takes only about as long to say as foot) and it has the advantage of being a shorthand form of the words for the actual metric distance of 30 centimetres.
And my suggestion for “ten centimetres” is either a “palm” (the human palm is very approximately ten centimetres across), or a “onedec” standing for one decimetre - again it is easy to say and it is a shorthand form of the metric words “one decimetre”.
I would be very interested to hear what other suggestions you may have, and also whether you know of any attempts in the past to give single-word names to the distances 30 cm and 10 cm.
I would take issue with your overall contention that the imperial system of units was popular! I remember experienceing a great sense of relief when decimalisation(Kgs.,Metres,etc.) came in @1973 .I was 12 and hated sums which required one convert x pounds of Beef into y Hunrdredweight or x statute miles into y feet & inches.After 'decimalisation' came in every unit was a multiple/division of ten or a hundred.Who gives a monkey's what the units are called as long as they are easy to add,subtract,multiply ÷!But since you posed the conundrum of what 30 centimetres and 10 centimetres should be called. I humbly suggest the following: 1 centimetre =1/100 of a metre so one could legitimately call it 1%metric,10centimetres:10%metric,30centimetres:30%metric.However if this still does not assuage your nostalgia for the old imperial system of units,try saying "rule Britannia!" after each measurement,it may make you feel slightly better!
Regards,
Mike.
In the TV series BattleStar Galactica I think they used to refer to distance (or money) in "Centars" and "Centons" which was rather catchy. Can these words be used in the solution or do they actually have meaning in some other language?
Better check with the Klingons and the Borg first ,they go a bit ape-*beep* if someone uses their units without asking first!
Come to think of it, how about warp-factor1,10,30 and let warp-factor100=1 Metre.
...........to...boldly..go....where...no.....decimal units........have...gone..before!!!!!
Thanks to stephan d, Michael D. Grissom and midoh for taking up the challenge.
stephan d suggests in reference to 30 cm and 10 cm: “I would name them a "Tridec" (tri-dess) and "Dec" (dess)”. I quite like both those names. More on those below.
Michael D. Grissom says “I'm still trying to get the USA to make 10 inches equal a foot and 10 feet equal a yard so that I don't have to learn the metric system.” I can only suggest that you brush up on the metric system - just in case the USA doesn’t adopt your proposal in the near future, which I think is a distinct possibility.
midoh says “1 centimetre =1/100 of a metre so one could legitimately call it 1%metric, 10centimetres: 10%metric, 30centimetres: 30%metric”. This is an interesting suggestion, but it has a practical problem. It is essential that whatever words are adopted they need to be easy to say. “10%metric” doesn’t roll off the tongue easily, it slowly releases its arms like a reluctant octupus.
However midoh then pulls an alternative out of the hat: “if this still does not assuage your nostalgia for the old imperial system of units, try saying "rule Britannia!" after each measurement, it may make you feel slightly better!” - now that did make me laugh - I like that suggestion. An entirely different approach to the problem!
Michael D. Grissom says “In the TV series BattleStar Galactica I think they used to refer to distance (or money) in "Centars" and "Centons" which was rather catchy. Can these words be used in the solution?”. I agree these words are catchy and potentially useful. Consider the word centimetre - it’s about as long and wriggly as a centipede. It makes as much sense to use the word centimetre as it does to use the word centidollar rather than cent in the metric money system. We could replace the word centimetre with centon or centi. And yes I think we definitely should check with the Klingons and the Borg first - it would be unfortunate if Earth were invaded due to a simple violation of copyright on our part.
Midoh says “Come to think of it, how about warp-factor1, 10, 30 and let warp-factor100 = 1 Metre.” I would definitely worry about using the word warp in any unit of straight-line distance. The words warp and straight seem to me to be fundamentally incompatible. To my mind “warp-factor100” implies something that is extraordinarily twisted - it sounds more like a description of some extremely low grade timber than something one metre long. In fact warp-factor 100 could come into the English language as the word to describe something (eg piece of timber or even a person!) that is about as warped as it is possible to be without contravening basic laws of nature.
In summary, these are my preferred options from the discussion so far: replace the word centimetre with either centon or centi, call ten centimetres a dess (spelt either dess or dec) - then thirty centimetres becomes a threedess or 3dess (and I also like tridess), and yes as an alternative say “rule Brittania” after each measurement if you are so inclined! Keep the word warp for intergalactic space travel and bent timber etc, and bring warpfactor100 into the language to describe an object or person that is extraordinarily warped. Any further suggestions welcomed, and I will post another assessment in due course.
How about "footsie"=30/30.5cms &
"tootsie[pronounced:tutsie]=10cms.?..........or....
..............."pinky"=30cms &
"dinky"=10cms?..........or......
............................................"piggy"=30cms. &
"wiggy"=10cms?-Brainstorm over
Miss Playfull,
since 30 and 10 are multiples of 5,(30=6*5,10=2*5),the problem is really one of choosing an appropriate name for a base unit of 5 centimetres.Off-hand the prefix quin-comes to mind as in: quintet-a group of five.If one accepts the idea of using the prefix quin,the problem is reduced to choosing an appropriate ending-i.e. one that would be easy to remember,say and had a catchy sound to it.Quinton?-rhymes with Clinton-nope! quinto?quinti?quintel?quintoz?quintozzy?-might be popular down-under!Quintmar?Quintem?Quintond?Quintend?Quintar?Quintard?Quintand?or maybe shortened versions of some of these:
-Quard,Quond,Quand,Quend,Quar?I'm sure there are plenty of others.Anyway, lets say you choose 'Quar' as your base unit, then 30cetimetres would be 6 Quars and 10centimeters would be 2 quars!
Personally,I like the sound of Quars as they make me think of Quarks! -Midoh
Miss Playful,
you suggested using the word palm for one of the dimensions. Leonardo da Vinci (the guy who painted the Mona Lisa) did a wonderful drawing of a man -I think it's called Vitruvian Man and he has his arms & legs outstretched inside the circumference of a circle.There may be other parts of the human anatatomy that can be used for 10 & 30 cms. I hope Leonardos' drawing gives you some inspiration! -Midoh.
by MissPlayful on Sat Sep 13, 2003 9:42 pm 
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