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When Is a Stone Not a Stone?
Posted by Editormum on Tuesday, 6 April 2004 in Definitions | ∞
Why, when it’s 14 pounds, of course, as my British friends and readers know full well. Which means I weigh 13 stone 11 pounds, or 13st 11lb.
So what does this have to do with grammar? Two things.
- If you are an American writing a piece of work with a Brit as a character, you need to know that your British character not likely to say that Miss Jones weighs at least 200 pounds. He’s going to say that she weighs at least 14 stone. Conversely, if you are a Brit writing a piece with an American as a character, you need to know that Americans usually don’t have a clue what “stone” means when used as a measure of weight; to us it means “a rock.”
- It’s important to notice the visual effects of the words and phrases that you use. I was recently reading an article from a British paper. The article contained the words “Miss Jones weighs in at 18st 2 pounds. Being an American, it took me a good two minutes to work out that it wasn’t a misprint, but that it referred to “stones” used as a weight of measure. Were I one of the less widely-read Americans, I might never have figured it out.
8 Comments
Very smart, I would roll right over it and assumer most writing now a days are full of error….I told you you are on my favorite…. I’m from Jamaica and we speak more or less backward so I am trying my hardest to learn how to speak the proper way… eg. We say, “Turn off the light.” American say, “Turn the light off.” Right?
Actually, an American would understand either one. “Turn off the light” is just as correct as “turn the light off” except when you get one of those sticklers who insists that it is incorrect to end with a preposition. However, “that is the kind of arrant nonsense up with which I will not put.” (with apologies to Churchill).
Never thought about this. I thought American English was too complicated. It seems that the Brits have us beat on that one. (Ducking the thrown teabags). I love this Blog!!!
and in Australia we would talk in kilos (kilograms) and not have an idea at what the conversion from pounds or stone would be, unless you grew up in the time before metric!
I love stones and pounds and metric measures
I have the same problem when I see weight given in pounds, I have to divide it by 14 to know what the person actually weighs, although I’m becoming more used to it now and can usually hazard a good guess. Americans have asked me more than once what I mean by stones and they always seem surprised when I tell them. Of course, this is only one of many differences … I’ve written reams on the topic (which, I admit, drives me absolutely crazy!).
Forgot to say that we have actually gone metric now, but us old fogeys still tend to think in Imperial. Hospitals have been using metric weights for many years and I never knew what any of my babies weighed until I checked on the conversion chart!
Excellent advice! I am always upset when I see “regional” errors in print. It shows the sloppiness and lack of research on the author’s part.