Comments on: Towards a universal theory of measurement

By: Helendamnation

Helendamnation — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:44:12 +0000

Here is a handy site for calulating some of those things. I am 0.3 of a giraffe tall.

http://www.simonkelk.co.uk/sizeofwales.html

By: jonathon

jonathon — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:15:14 +0000

perhaps its more commonly used as a measure of length, but olympic sized swimming pools are oft used

By: Cliff

Cliff — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 10:20:18 +0000

And if you want to illustrate something that’s bigger than it should be, pick the next thing bigger and compare it to that. Apples the size of grapefruit, rats the size of cats, cups the size of bowls.

By: Rachel

Rachel — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 08:45:45 +0000

bean, matchbox or box of matches,

slightly outside the rules might be breadbin, as in ‘bigger than a…’

football pitches and/or tennis courts seem to get used a lot on the news, as in ‘the new development will be (insert measurement here), that’s roughly the size of 18 football pitches/tennis courts’.

By: acadia

acadia — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 02:47:13 +0000

I forgot to put head in my previous comment. We use it a lot “That cookie is as big as your head!”

By: Chris Harris

Chris Harris — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 20:14:45 +0000

I’d just like to take this opportunity to point out that the international system of Standard Routemaster Units was first proposed in my blog back on the 1st March 2006. My colleagues and I are always happy to hear proposals for extending the system and have been following your comments with considerable interest. Keep up the good work!

By: Erin

Erin — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 19:42:01 +0000

Bowling ball. I don’t know why, but I hear that one a lot.

By: John Mac

John Mac — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 19:24:10 +0000

“Oh wow, look at me now,
I’m building up my problems to the size of a cow” The Wonder Stuff

(That’s going to be in my head for the rest of the day now)

By: Sameer Vasta

Sameer Vasta — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 14:21:47 +0000

Um, my computer at work is totally acting up and not letting me post comments properly. What I meant to write was:

–

Canada? I mean, we’re huge, and you need a unit of measurement bigger than Texas, right?

–

Feel free to delete those two above comments. Sorry!

By: David

David — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 10:53:56 +0000

Coke Can (pretty universal)
Jumbo jet (itself measured in family cars)
head of cabbage (a nice floppy leaved one for vague dimensions)
ummmm (you know, about the size of a …ummmm)

By: Cliff

Cliff — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 10:26:46 +0000

It’s a cultural thing as well. “The size of a double-decker bus” doesn’t travel that well, so is replaced in the US with “the size of Rhode Island”. I think.

I’d love a doctor to describe the size of something in terms of a piece of string.

There’s a whole subset for volumes, too from spoonfull to bucket right up to the Albert Hall and Olympic swimming pools.

By: chrislunch

chrislunch — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 10:11:38 +0000

Baby’s arm.

Really useful when describing turd size. Although, alarmingly, I heard an American colleague refer to the fact that he ate a ‘really good baby’s arm last night’. Upon questioning, it’s his pet name for donar kebabs. So perhaps Baby’s Arm is multipurpose.

(Actually, it is already multipurpose - was watching a bit of the Austin Power’s Goldmember film the other day, and Michael Caine refers to the size of Mini-me’s schlong as ‘like a baby’s arm clutching a tennis ball’.)

By: Tom

Tom — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 08:52:01 +0000

I think that part of the reason for the big gap is that it’s around the size that people can readily appreciate anyway, kind of more or less human scale.

I’d probably add the Eiffel tower.

By: Piggy

Piggy — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 08:46:46 +0000

Grape. Often related to bodily swellings I think.

*shudder*

p.s. What’s your sister’s secret?!!!!!!! Ok, I’ll get my coat…

By: Meg

Meg — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 07:14:38 +0000

Ah yes, Belgium. I’ve not heard Texas used much myself (probably because people over here know it’s big, but not really *how* big - i’s slightly too unimaginable).

I’m not sure about Big Dog, because one person’s idea of big is different to anothers, but I know where you’re going, so I’ve added it in.

And yes, I can’t believe I forgot human hair, plus that perennial favourite: pack of cigarettes/playing cards.

Thanks - keep them coming…