How do you guys feel about the use of the metric system of measurement in fantasy novels?

[OP1000]

Hello!!!!
For those of you who read fantasy novels, do you think that the metric system of measurement being used can detract from the experience of getting immersed into the world of a fantasy novel for you?

I personally would prefer if the metric system of measurement were used in fantasy novels (not that I would not read those series that use the imperial system, mind you), because the imperial system is hard for me to understand most of the time.

 

[Rhaps]

I would like somebody to use the Golden Disc method of measuring, fuck centimeters and inches, let's use atoms and their distance!

 

[Corty]

The metric system is the most used measurement system in the world. Only three countries in the world don't use the metric system: the United States, Liberia, and Myanmar. Every other country around the world uses the metric system.

To anyone who would find that problematic:

Get used to it. If I could get used to burger units and Chinese made-up shit, so can you.

 

[Sola-sama]

 

[Cipiteca396]

View attachment 18483

Is the joke that she's exactly one Maderaka tall?

Also no, it doesn't bug me. I'd prefer an entirely made up system, but that would be tedious and inconvenient.

 

[nowme_cres]

Hello!!!!
For those of you who read fantasy novels, do you think that the metric system of measurement being used can detract from the experience of getting immersed into the world of a fantasy novel for you?

I personally would prefer if the metric system of measurement were used in fantasy novels (not that I would not read those series that use the imperial system, mind you), because the imperial system is hard for me to understand most of the time.

No one cares about measuring systems

 

[Tyranomaster]

The author is going to write in whatever is comfortable to them. Myself included. Would I prefer everyone used burger units? Sure. Will I understand SI units, also sure. In many ways, learning a unit system is much simpler than learning a second language, and here we are, in English (although English is my primary language, burger privilege).

No one cares about measuring systems

People in my story brought it up in the comments a few times now. Depending on the story, it seems to trigger a subset of people.

 

[TheEldritchGod]

If imperial units were good enough for Jesus, it's good enough for everyone.

 

[Tyranomaster]

If imperial units were good enough for Jesus, it's good enough for everyone.

Read as: It was powerful enough to kill god once. Must be pretty good.

 

[Deleted member 54065]

Hello!!!!
For those of you who read fantasy novels, do you think that the metric system of measurement being used can detract from the experience of getting immersed into the world of a fantasy novel for you?

I personally would prefer if the metric system of measurement were used in fantasy novels (not that I would not read those series that use the imperial system, mind you), because the imperial system is hard for me to understand most of the time.

Depends on my story setting.

For example, though my novel is high fantasy/isekai, one of its major plot points include that the previous hero from Earth introduced some 'earth measurements'. However, she's not that good with math, so while the terms (like kilometers, meters, leagues) remain, the values differed from what is on Earth.

Besides, I made it clear to my readers that the physics of my world is fundamentally different from Earth's, so the effects of some conditions are different. (Like sailors being able to see up to 20 Chersean km/65 Chersean nautical leagues away from their spot on a clear weather)

In case there's no hero from Earth that introduced earth measurements, I'd make up one, and explain the values in Earth terms at the footnote.

 

[ThrillingHuman]

View attachment 18483

That sounds like an extremely innacurate measurement system.

Hello!!!!
For those of you who read fantasy novels, do you think that the metric system of measurement being used can detract from the experience of getting immersed into the world of a fantasy novel for you?

I personally would prefer if the metric system of measurement were used in fantasy novels (not that I would not read those series that use the imperial system, mind you), because the imperial system is hard for me to understand most of the time.

"Don't you feel like the useage of English or any other human language retracts from the immersion experience?"
If I can read a novel no problem when they speak a language I know, I will assume that the narrator translated it. If they use the metric system (or the hamburger system for that matter) or units of measurement like second, week etc, I will assume the narrator translated it too.

 

[TASTYLEADPAINT]

Why would I use any other measurement.

 

[NotaNuffian]

Just use a simple measurement system.

One.

You can use metric or retard, but make sure only stick to one.

Or you know; do what the yanks do, measure in burgers or washing machine.

 

[OP1000]

I would like somebody to use the Golden Disc method of measuring, fuck centimeters and inches, let's use atoms and their distance!

Care to explain how this measurement system works?

To anyone who would find that problematic:

Get used to it. If I could get used to burger units and Chinese made-up shit, so can you.

Are burger units the same as the imperial system?

If imperial units were good enough for Jesus, it's good enough for everyone.

I am confused by this statement.

 

[NotaNuffian]

Care to explain how this measurement system works?

Are burger units the same as the imperial system?

No no no.

I believe the burger here isn't about the retard. Like measuring in football field or wiener girth, use something as a comparison is not the same as retard.

At least retard has centimeter, a foot to 2.54 cm.

 

[OP1000]

If imperial units were good enough for Jesus, it's good enough for everyone.

I am confused by this statement.

Just use a simple measurement system.

One.

You can use metric or retard, but make sure only stick to one.

Or you know; do what the yanks do, measure in burgers or washing machine.

I do not really use the imperial system, so I am good on that front.

No no no.

I believe the burger here isn't about the retard. Like measuring in football field or wiener girth, use something as a comparison is not the same as retard.

At least retard has centimeter, a foot to 2.54 cm.

What retard?

 

[ArchlordZero]

I have no problem in using bigmacs per m16

 

[Darlington]

I don't have any problems with it, unless there is another gauging system?!

 

[Rhaps]

Care to explain how this measurement system works?

Are burger units the same as the imperial system?

I am confused by this statement.

The Golden Disc is what contained all of the sounds of the world, and would possiblity be the final proof of the existence of humanity. It was installed in Voyager 1, the probe that NASA launched to space in order to contact other civilizations in the galaxy.

Obviously, if there are other civilizations out there, their measurement systems would be very different from ours. So Carl Sagan, the man behind the Golden Disc, thought of a way for other civilizations to use the recorder that comes with the disc without speaking.

What is the most common thing in the universe? What is the common thing all life share? Atoms. We are all made of atoms.

So the instruction to how to operate the disc using visuals of atoms, specificall Hydrogen iirc. Like which way to spin the disc, put it were. If the civilization that received the disc is advance enough, they could decipher the instruction.

The instruction also contained the coordinate of where our planet is by using hydrogen atoms as a measurement (yes, NASA doxxed us).

The story behind the whole Voyager project is very interesting, you should check it out if you have the time. It boils down to finding proof that we are not alone in this universe, and to have something to prove our existence to the universe. Since the Golden Disc contained our history, the voice of our world, and what we have accomplished.

 

[Deleted member 113259]

Don't care. For a story to be fantasy it just has to be fantastical. I personally think authors should stay away from measurements in general Because most suck at maths, and the misuse of measurements will be what takes you out of the story, not the type of measurements or system of measurements being used.