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==Weight and Measurement== | |||
Nothing confuses our American school children quite as much as beginning arithmetic classes in weights and measure. | Nothing confuses our American school children quite as much as beginning arithmetic classes in weights and measure. | ||
Anyone who has ever taught primary school, or helped a child with his lessons, know it does no good to explain why we have twelve inches in a foot or three feet in a yard; children are incredulous when told a mile is 5280 feet and so on. Any logic escapes them; the system simply requires memorization. | |||
The subject of switching to the metric system frequently is discussed in the United States. European countries such as Norway are often held up as examples of places where the weights and measures systems function smoothly with decimal units. | The subject of switching to the metric system frequently is discussed in the United States. European countries such as Norway are often held up as examples of places where the weights and measures systems function smoothly with decimal units. | ||
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==Meaures in Old Norway== | |||
<br> | |||
[[File:Norway Volume.PNG|600px]]<br><br> | |||
Measures by Volume: | Measures by Volume: | ||
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'''skjeppe(r) - '''in liquid measure aboaut 18 potter or 20 liters (formerly 17.4 listers). In dry meaure about one half bushel. | '''skjeppe(r) - '''in liquid measure aboaut 18 potter or 20 liters (formerly 17.4 listers). In dry meaure about one half bushel. | ||
'''tønne(r) or tunne, or tønde''' - a barrel, cask or drum measuring about 4 bushels (for fish, grain, potoatoes, etc.). One tønne was equal to 4 kvart; in the 1600s one tønne of grain was 4 mæler equal to 16 fjerdinger equal to 72 kanner, about 144 liters, although a tønne of grain is sometimes listed as 139 liters and a tønne of fish 116 liters. | '''tønne(r) or tunne, or tønde''' - a barrel, cask or drum measuring about 4 bushels (for fish, grain, potoatoes, etc.). One tønne was equal to 4 kvart; in the 1600s one tønne of grain was 4 mæler equal to 16 fjerdinger equal to 72 kanner, about 144 liters, although a tønne of grain is sometimes listed as 139 liters and a tønne of fish 116 liters. | ||
==Areal Measure== | |||
'''fjerding(er)''' - not a unit in itself but often used to mean a quarter of some governmental unit, a parish, county, city, etc. | '''fjerding(er)''' - not a unit in itself but often used to mean a quarter of some governmental unit, a parish, county, city, etc. | ||
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<br> | <br> | ||
==Linear's Measure== | |||
<br><br> | |||
[[File:Norway Distance.PNG|450px]] | |||
'''alen '''- two fodder or 0.6275 meters or two feet 3/4 inches in the englisth system. | '''alen '''- two fodder or 0.6275 meters or two feet 3/4 inches in the englisth system. | ||
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'''tomme(r) '''- about an inch, a term meaning thumb. There were 12 tommer in a fod (fot). | '''tomme(r) '''- about an inch, a term meaning thumb. There were 12 tommer in a fod (fot). | ||
'''rote(r) or roder(r) -''' five alen. | '''rote(r) or roder(r) -''' five alen. | ||
<br><br><br> | |||
==Measure by weight== | |||
[[File:Norway Weights.PNG|600px]] | |||
'''bismerpund''' - a unit usually equal to 12 pund or about 12 English pounds. However, in Vesby a bismerpund was noted as equal to 13 skaalpund. | '''bismerpund''' - a unit usually equal to 12 pund or about 12 English pounds. However, in Vesby a bismerpund was noted as equal to 13 skaalpund. | ||
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'''centner''' - one hundred pund. | '''centner''' - one hundred pund. | ||
''' | '''laup''' - a round wooden box with handles which when used as a measure was about 33 pund. | ||
'''lest '''- the nautical weight of about 400 pounds or in dry measure 12 tønne. When used to weigh timeber it was about 5200 pounds. | |||
'''lispund''' - ususlly cited as 18 pund. However, in upper Østerdalen it was equal to 16 pund or 52 kilograms. | '''lispund''' - ususlly cited as 18 pund. However, in upper Østerdalen it was equal to 16 pund or 52 kilograms. | ||
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==Hud and Skinn== | |||
The words for hides and skins, i.e., tanned leather, deserve special mention. Leather in itself appears to have been a trade commodity used as it was for so many finished products from shoes to harnesses, to furniture, to book covers. Wealthy merchants are known to have covered their walls with engraved and painted leather panels. | The words for hides and skins, i.e., tanned leather, deserve special mention. Leather in itself appears to have been a trade commodity used as it was for so many finished products from shoes to harnesses, to furniture, to book covers. Wealthy merchants are known to have covered their walls with engraved and painted leather panels. | ||
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This discussion of the old weights and measures may have seemed more complicated than is warranted, but these are terms which we have found in our use of the older local historical and genealogical sources. An understanding of the terms should make the reference come alive. | This discussion of the old weights and measures may have seemed more complicated than is warranted, but these are terms which we have found in our use of the older local historical and genealogical sources. An understanding of the terms should make the reference come alive. | ||
Additional information about | Additional information about weight and measure can be found at the following links: | ||
[http:// | [https://web.archive.org/web/20140319094330/http://oppskrifter.net/index.php/maal-og-vekt-fra-eldre-tid/ Mål og vekt fra eldre tid] | ||
[http:// | [http://www.hildes-hjoerne.com/58393197 Mål og vekt fra gamledager] | ||
[http://www. | [http://www.arkeliet.no/convert/norskem.htm Gamle norske måleenheter] | ||
[[Category:Norway Language and Handwriting]] | [[Category:Norway Language and Handwriting]] [[Category:Language and Handwriting]] | ||
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