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From: de@moscom.UUCP (Dave Esan)
Newsgroups: net.misc,net.games.trivia
Subject: Measurements
Message-ID: <740@moscom.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 11-Aug-86 15:45:46 EDT
Article-I.D.: moscom.740
Posted: Mon Aug 11 15:45:46 1986
Date-Received: Tue, 12-Aug-86 17:20:38 EDT
Distribution: net
Organization: MOSCOM Corp, E Rochester, NY, USA
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Xref: mnetor net.misc:2508 net.games.trivia:1032


A recent trivia question on the radio has prompted a second question.
The radio asked: "What is the derivation of the size of an acre?"

The answer:"The area that an ox can plow in one day." (Precise).

This led to the realization that the English system used human charachteristics
for its dimemsions: A foot is defined as King William's foot (= size 12 shoe);
an inch is 3 barleycorns; a yard is the distance from the tip of the nose to
the end of your hand; a fathom is twice that, from fingertip to fingertip; etc.

The question I have:

Does anyone know where liquid measure comes from?  That is what is a quart, pint
or gallon?


Thanks.


               rochester \
David Esan                | moscom ! de
                    ritcv/