[HPforGrownups] Re: Wordplay/ What's fun about the HPs? -- "hogshead"

[ClareWashbrook at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 152739

 
Geoff <gbannister10 at tiscali.co.uk> writes:

>> What is interesting from your statute is the unorthodox use of 
Roman numerals. 63 should be rendered LXIII. It's also of interest 
that the "old" wine-gallon mentioned in the OED reference seems to 
equate to the US gallon. <<

Clare:
The numerals from the quote didn't transfer well (yahboosucks to 
email) -  the XX is supposed to be in superscript, like a 'to the 
power of'  denotation.  It was pre-standardisation of the language, 
use of all aspects  of it were colloquial.  
 
I don't think it is surprising that the old wine gallon matches the 
US one, after all, that's where the US got it from!  Then the split 
would mean that subsequent changes never happened and the US gallon 
remained as of old.
 
LMAO, I am English too and I must admit that I cook in Imperial  
measurements, I cannot buy in them however.  With children and 
students who  have grown up using only the metric system (except in 
my kitchen) I have had to  accept it, it's not that hard once you get 
used to it - I actually miss halfpennies more than ordering pounds.
 
smiles,
Clare xx