# Imperial x Metric hybrid a good system?



## caters (Mar 4, 2016)

I am thinking of using a hybrid of the imperial and metric systems in my tetralogy as the native measuring system.

For example someone who is 12 feet tall might be told that they are 1.166 decafeet tall.

Someone who traveled 1000 miles might say that they have traveled a kilomile.

And that is just 2 examples. As you can see with this system, metric prefixes are added to imperial measurements.

Time is the only type of unit that won't be affected by this.

Is this a good system? I know there are always going to be the ones that say "no, use one or the other but not both."  However this isn't using both really but is using a hybrid of the 2 which is different.

And I can see how people would get confused about things like centigallons and decapounds(kilopound and kilofoot are sometimes used) but if they know metric prefixes and what they mean and imperial units, they can figure out what those measurements mean.


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## AndrewLowe (Mar 4, 2016)

I personally wouldn't recommend this.  I can see it turning off a lot of readers.  If you have a character who is 12 feet tall, it's a lot easier to visualize if it is phrased as "12 feet tall."  Also, I think you would have to have some sort of explanation for why the system is in place, otherwise it could be confusing.

I do however, like the creativity involved in developing your own system of measurement.  I think if you keep on track with the idea, you will maybe find something more applicable to a fantasy setting.  Keep at it.  It might be helpful to consider that most measurements were relative, such as the cubit (length of forearm) or the original "foot".


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## CrystalCHTriple (Mar 4, 2016)

You could do that (e.g. a kilopound) but it still possess the annoyance of the Imperial system, the epitome of all that is irrational, that is the horrid multiple units of measurement for one motherflipping quantity! No! I refuse to see 0.3048 metres as one foot. What the fuc... what does that even mean?! Damn it, a metre was defined by parameters that would be identical for everyone, like, I don't know, the length in which light travels in a vacuum in ~1/2.998e8 of a second, not some rancid foot! 

Okay... the issues of standardization, however, will depend on the level of technology in your world, and clearly, any sensible technologically advanced people would use the metric system. Deny that and you deny reason itself.


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## Russ (Mar 4, 2016)

Before I give you my thoughts on the quality of the idea Caters, could  you help us with the reasoning behind the choice?  Why is it you want to take this approach?


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## Miskatonic (Mar 4, 2016)

How much of your story is actually going to be spent talking about that world's unique units of measuring? Is it vital to the story you are telling?


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## CupofJoe (Mar 4, 2016)

CrystalCHTriple said:


> Damn it, a metre was defined by parameters that would be identical for everyone, like, I don't know, the length in which light travels in a vacuum in ~1/2.998e8 of a second, not some rancid foot!


Er... It was originally defined [220+ years ago] as one ten millionth of the distance from the pole to the equator, by some very nice and rational French people . The Meter has been redefined/changed at least twice more since then and has only been the most recent definition for the last 30 or so years.
Just about every unit of measurement has changed since it was thought up [except the kilogram I think. There is only one of them and its held in neutral territory just outside Paris]
But as for making up new units of measurement for a story... Unless it is going to be intrinsic to the plot, I tend to go with what feels most real to me. I usually go for relative terms or [British] imperial for my High fantasy stuff as that tends to be "historically" based and metric when I feeling more Noire [as then tends to be contemporary or near future]. But I'll mix and match if it feels right so it could be cold at -2 Celsius and hot at 75 Fahrenheit, all in the same story...


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## jm.milks (Mar 4, 2016)

If you want to be creative and write that the people in your tetralogy actually know what they're doing mathematically,  I'd write in a metric style system in base 12, or a duodecimal system.
We count in a base ten system because of the number of fingers on our hands,  but most mathematicians will agree that a twelve number counting system is ideal for just about everything that incorporates fractions and application.

An example of counting on base 12...
One two three four five six seven eight nine dec el ten.

So 10 in the dozenal system is 12 when converted to the decimal. 100 dozenal is 144 decimal, .4 dozenal is 1/3 or .33333333e. Decimal and .3 dozenal is .25 decimal

Adding that would intrigue readers and attract all the crazy base 12 advocates to your story

Sent from my Samsung S7 Edge+


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## vaiyt (Mar 4, 2016)

I don't think it's a good idea. It is the worst of both worlds, having the unfamiliarity (for Americans) of the metric system with the uneven divisions of the imperial system.

The imperial system, like the Fahrenheit temperature scale, have one advantage that they're an easy to grasp way to measure things that are close to human experience. For extreme measures and scientific purposes, they get increasingly inadequate.


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## Jerseydevil (Mar 4, 2016)

If you use metric, Americans will be confused. If you use Imperial, everyone else will be confused. If you merge both, everyone will be confused. If possible, try to stick to real world units. Unless it is a major part of the plot with serious ramifications, there is no need for a new measuring system. The reader should instantly know how tall, how heavy, or how far away something is without having to perform calculations in their head. Spending too much time converting units into something more familiar will kick readers out of the story.


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## caters (Mar 4, 2016)

Russ said:


> Before I give you my thoughts on the quality of the idea Caters, could  you help us with the reasoning behind the choice?  Why is it you want to take this approach?



There are several reasons:

1) I have used imperial units and it is easy to convert from 1 to the other. What is hard is converting from imperial to metric, not the metric system itself or the imperial system itself.

2) It is always good to have something unique in your story. In this case I have quite a few unique things(2-12 foot adult height considered normal, growth stopping at 9 months pregnant but births being 3 months apart for any pregnancy, Wilderness survival class in school, etc.)

3) Metric is taught to people using the imperial system in elementary school and even more so when they get into high school or college chemistry.

4) Metric prefixes are easy to convert from, just add or remove 0s as necessary, if it changes to a decimal add 0s in front of it, if it changes to an integer add 0s behind it.

5) Some of the units in this measurement system are or have been used such as kilofoot and kilopound.


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## AndrewLowe (Mar 4, 2016)

caters said:


> There are several reasons:
> 
> 1) I have used imperial units and it is easy to convert from 1 to the other. What is hard is converting from imperial to metric, not the metric system itself or the imperial system itself.
> 
> ...



This is helpful.  I think that in context it makes a bit more sense, however, I'm still inclined to say that readers will find the system confusing...  If it's sci-fi and you can build a reasonable (or even better, a necessary) explanation for the system, then if could be useful.


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## Russ (Mar 6, 2016)

caters said:


> There are several reasons:
> 
> 1) I have used imperial units and it is easy to convert from 1 to the other. What is hard is converting from imperial to metric, not the metric system itself or the imperial system itself.
> 
> ...



With respect to reason 2) I don't think one should simply make something unique just for the sake of  making something unique.  A good story is about characters, goals, tension, plot etc.  The measurement system is just window dressing.

And I don't think simply mashing two existing systems together is particularly original or creative.  If you  made up an entirely new system that would be different.

Unless the system of measures is important to your story I would lean away from mashing the two systems together and go with either one or the other.  I would think there is too much risk of your window dressing becoming a distraction or being thought of as a gimmick to warrant that approach.

The most telling thing to me is that none of your reasons for considering introducing this hybrid have anything to do with story or impact on the story.


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