BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012.
1 of 1- veecee
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- Registered: June 11, 2012
- Posts: 1,794
Another question for a British person to answer, please.
When referring to Molly having gained weight, Sherlock says she has gained three pounds. Do you generally express people's weight in pounds as opposed to kilos? Just how much do you use the metric system in everyday life?
I remember hearing about some greengrocers in England who were getting in trouble for advertising the price per pound (rather than per kilo) of their produce in front of their stores. True? Comments?
Anyway, every time I run across someone's weight in "stones" in an old book, I have to go look up how much that is again.
Thanks!
- Smoggy_London_Air
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- Registered: May 25, 2012
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Re: Another question for a British person to answer, please.
Can't answer that question, not being British.
I can, however, say that one stone is equal to 14 pounds. I just have to have that memorized and calculate it. Pretty irritating. *sigh*
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- Davina
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Re: Another question for a British person to answer, please.
16 ounces (oz) in a pound (lb) 14 pounds (lbs) in a stone (st).
We generally give weight of people in stones and pounds although some people will weigh themselves in kilos.
In shops all foods are shown in metric grammes, kilos, litres etc. Petrol is purchased in litres. Distances on the road are given in miles. Distances in track running etc. are given in metric metres etc. Medicines are in metric.
Measurements vary depending on the age of the person. Either inches (ins or " ) feet (ft ' ) Imperial measurements or centimetres (cms) and metres (m). Younger people are familiar with metric and older Imperial. Technical equipment and tools etc ae given in metric.
All a bit confusing eh!?
Last edited by Davina (August 14, 2012 12:44 pm)
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- JaneCo
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Re: Another question for a British person to answer, please.
Hi Veecee and Smoggy, I work with someone who gave us all weekly bulletins throughout her weight loss in terms of pounds lost, so yes it is usual. However, she was much more delighted to be able to tell us in terms of a stone rather than a pound (lb) here and there. Her eventual loss of three stones was something to be proud of ! Babies birth weights (unless this has changed very recently) are still given in lbs and ozs. However, in school maths and physics metric (SI) units Kg, metres, litres etc. are used, ie metres per second^2 (can't write squared any other way) is the compound unit used for acceleration of a falling body due to gravity (9.81 metres per second per second or more commonly now per second squared).
Oh yes, I remember the case where a greengrocer was prosecuted for selling produce in lbs rather than kg. I think they eventually decided that either can be used because there was a public outcry over the case. We still like our lb of spuds (just can't afford them any more 
)
Last edited by JaneCo (August 14, 2012 12:34 pm)
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- veecee
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- Registered: June 11, 2012
- Posts: 1,794
Re: Another question for a British person to answer, please.
Thanks, all.
And there's another small thing: We in the US say "math," not "maths."
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Thread Starter- JaneCo
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Re: Another question for a British person to answer, please.
Yes I know, but we in the UK don't and you did ask for a UK person to answer 
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- veecee
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Re: Another question for a British person to answer, please.
Right you are.
I just want to be sure we can all impersonate each other if we ever have to. Don't forget how "cell phone" gave away the villain in Hounds.
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Thread Starter- Davina
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- From: The Only Way is Essex UK
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Re: Another question for a British person to answer, please.
We don't say the 'th' sound in Anthony either and we do say the 'h' in herb.
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Don't make people into heroes John. Heroes don't exist and if they did I wouldn't be one of them.
- veecee
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- Posts: 1,794
Re: Another question for a British person to answer, please.
Thank you for the tips.
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Thread Starter