Lb meaning

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marcelo_malara
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Lb meaning

Post by marcelo_malara »

For the British people here: what is the meaning of the letters lb for pound?
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Karl Heidenreich
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Post by Karl Heidenreich »

For me it´s quite obvious: it means "libra". :!:
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marcelo_malara
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Post by marcelo_malara »

Funny. I know that, but libra is an English word?
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Karl Heidenreich
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Post by Karl Heidenreich »

Who said that all technical terminology is in English and translated to Spanish? Maybe in this case was the other way around: it was in Spanish first and then translated to english. Before England become a superpower the Spaniards were the World No.1 Empire, so many things of them must have remained. Just a guess.
An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.
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marcelo_malara
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Post by marcelo_malara »

Well I found the answer myself:

"The word “pound” comes from the Latin word pendere, meaning “to weigh”. The Latin word libra means “scales, balances" and it also describes a Roman unit of mass similar to a pound. This is the origin of the abbreviation “lb” or “℔” for the pound."

From wikipedia.
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Post by Chel Sea »

Saludos, yes, you have found the answers.

English weights and measures were based on the Roman ones, hence the usage of the appellation "Imperial", not just because of the later British Empire.

The same for the pre-Decimal currency being based on the Roman one.

12d (Denarius) Copper Coins were worth

1s (Sestersus or Shilling)

20s Silver coins were worth 1 pound sterling, which was made of gold until the 20th C.

All the coins were supposed to make up the equivelents in weight to the ratio of copper to silver to gold, just like in the roman system.

Note the corruption of the word Denarius to Dinero in Spanish :wink:

Anyway, I know why you ask that Marcelo, because in Castillian the pound in currency and weight are still called "Libras", and in fact the pound sign is an "L" with lines through it (one line since decimalisation). This is because of the Latin connection as you have already indicated.

Furthermore the English inch is called a pulgada in Latinate languages, because in Roman times the inch corresponded to approximately the size of a thumb, then foot and etc.

For our American cousins Spanish pieces of 8 (Reales) of piracy fame were also called Thalers because of the connection between Spain and the House of Hapsburg, Thalers were made of purer Latin American metal, and were more valuable, this was corrupted into the word "Dollar" later on...
Mejores saludos, Lucas
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marcelo_malara
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Post by marcelo_malara »

Well Lucas, I must admit you are a knowledgable person.
Chel Sea
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Post by Chel Sea »

marcelo_malara wrote:Well Lucas, I must admit you are a knowledgable person.
:oops: No, no, It's like with art, I just like what I like, I wish I knew more about Ships like you guys, hence this site being a v. valuable resource regarding exchanges of ideas and information :cool:
Mejores saludos, Lucas
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RF
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Post by RF »

marcelo_malara wrote:Well I found the answer myself:

"The word “pound” comes from the Latin word pendere, meaning “to weigh”. The Latin word libra means “scales, balances" and it also describes a Roman unit of mass similar to a pound. This is the origin of the abbreviation “lb” or “℔” for the pound."

From wikipedia.
The same principle applied to our pre-decimal money, before 1971. The penny for example was indicated by the letter ''d''.
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