E6 American Culture: Why Don't Americans Use the Metric System?
Learn English Podcast
Shownotes Transcript
📏If you're tuning in from outside the U.S., you're likely comfortable with the metric system. But for many Americans, it’s a source of frustration. Almost every person in the world is familiar with the metric system. Almost every country in the world uses it for their system of measurement, its the official units of science and medicine, and has a universal understanding. However, the key word in these sentences is "almost".
🌍Not every country uses the metric system, and the United States is one of those countries. Not only do Americans not use the metric system, they have a hard time understanding what the units mean. Why is this? Why do American struggle to use a system that's known the world over? Why hasn't the United States adopted the metric system yet? And why do Americans love their customary units so much?
🎧In this episode of the Learn English Podcast, we discuss this weird part of American culture - the use of the customary units and the reasons why the United States has not fully adopted the metric system. We'll explore the cultural ties, industrialization, and the influence of tradition on the American way of measuring. Learn about what is stopping the United States from switching, why everything from infrastructure to education would have to change, and why Americans might not want to pay for that change after all.
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📝 Vocabulary List:
customary units: a system of measurement used in the United States, based on British imperial units.
graduate degree: a degree earned after completing a college or university program.
consensus: a general agreement.
Straightforward: Easy to understand or simple; not complicated.
Legislation: Laws or legal regulations enacted by a governing body.
Incentive: Something that motivates or encourages someone to take a specific action.
Discomfort: A state of unease or lack of comfort; feeling awkward or uncomfortable in a situation.
Monetary: Related to money or currency; often used in the context of costs or financial considerations.
**Point of reference: **A basis for comparison or understanding.
off the top of my head: without thinking about it carefully.
to get the hang of something: to learn how to do something.
**Take into consideration: **To think about or include something in your thought process.
