this post was submitted on 06 Mar 2024
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Showerthoughts

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I hear phrases like "half-past", "quarter til", and "quarter after" way less often since digital clocks have became more commonplace. (midwest.social)
submitted 9 months ago by [email protected] to c/showerthoughts
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[–] [email protected] 15 points 9 months ago (2 children)

Nowadays is easier just to say the precise time down to the minute.

[–] Ultraviolet 5 points 9 months ago

I still round, I'll call 3:11 3:10 when the precision doesn't matter.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago (1 children)

In a way it is a bit sad though. It gives a more rigid feeling to things. "about quarter past" would usually be something between :10 and :20. There is room for interpretation and time feels more available with less demanded precision.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 9 months ago (1 children)

On the other hand, quarter inch and half mile and such are meant to be precise?

[–] Epilepsiavieroitus 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

They are? I wouldn't talk about fractions of cm or km if I wanted to be precise, I would say 2,5 mm or 500 m. Half a km is approximate, for when accuracy isn't that relevant.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

Yeah, imperial units are terrible. 1/3 cup nuts, 1/2 cup flour...

More granular units exist, but they're not easier to use and so no one does. The only reason anyone would refuse to switch to metric is because "it's always been done that way around here"

Edit: typo