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Date:         Mon, 4 Oct 1993 17:43:26 EDT
Reply-To: jorge@PHYAST.PITT.EDU
Sender: Lojban list <LOJBAN%CUVMB.bitnet@YaleVM.YCC.YALE.EDU>
From: Jorge Llambias <jorge@PHYAST.PITT.EDU>
Subject:      Re: local units
To:         lojban@cuvmb.cc.columbia.edu
Status: RO
X-Status: 

> mi'e djan.
> Good.  I also want to still argue for a sixth local subunit, "degree (local
> angle unit)".  Unlike feet, miles, degrees Fahrenheit, gallons, acres, and
> the rest, angular degrees are vital to all kinds of scientific purposes.

True.

> Even though the radian is the SI unit, it has never been accepted as the
> practical scientific unit in the same way as the meter, the kilogram, the
> second, and so on.

It is very much accepted, but they serve different purposes. In fact, radians
measure more than just angles. For example "phases" in quantum mechanics.

> Astronomy depends on degrees, as does geography, as
> does navigation.  Countries that are fully SI-ified in daily life still
> talk of 90 degree angles, not $\pi / 2$ radian angles.

And so do countries that have used the metric system from their birth, and
thus never had to be SI-ified :)

> Alternatively, degrees need a really compelling lujvo.

{jgarau} is perfect. No one will mistake it for {radno}, even if it could
include it.

> No fu'ivla will
> cut it, nor will anything based on {semto}: the historical origin of
> degrees is no more interesting than that of hours, minutes, etc.

Definitely.

> Indeed, the existence of these is another argument from analogy: Lojban
> doesn't compel people to talk of kiloseconds (about 15 min), megaseconds
> (2 weeks), or gigaseconds (30 years), nor to make use of a generalized
> "local time unit" to cover weeks, months, and years alike.

It may be interesting to actually use these units. How does {megsnidu} sound
for "fortnight"?

co'o mi'e xorxes