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 ( ;-) )
As has been pointed out "Imperial" is incorrect, as the Imperial System
was a term applied after a number of changes were made. Since these
changes were introduced after American independence, they were never
adopted there, hence what remained in the US could not technically be
called Imperial (it is also why some American units like the pint and
gallon are different from the British ones - the American ones are older).
The name I prefer to use is *Colonial*. The reason I like this is:
- it is technically accurate. It is a system that dates back to when
what is now the US was known as the American Colonies.
- it makes the point that the system is not American, but was imposed by
the British in the past.
- it removes the cloak of nationalism from those who try to portray
themselves as patriots in trying to preserve the Colonial System
(perhaps the USMA should create a "Benedict Arnold" award for any
prominent championing of the Colonial System or resistance to metrication).
- it emphasises that it is a very out of date system.
- it portrays the metrication process as very much a continuation of the
work of Jefferson and the Founding Fathers, who quickly replaced one
pound (the currency) whereas metrication seeks to complete the task by
replacing the other one (the weight).
- it is a mild put-down without being simply an insulting term like
"Wombat" or "FFU" (Fred Flintstone Units).
Tom Wade
