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weird@sub.wetshaving.social to memes@lemmy.world · 2 months ago

At least we're not mixing in letters

sub.wetshaving.social

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At least we're not mixing in letters

sub.wetshaving.social

weird@sub.wetshaving.social to memes@lemmy.world · 2 months ago
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  • WanderingThoughts@europe.pub
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    2 months ago

    IIRC they counted the bones in their fingers using their thumb and that gives 12. The first sundial was around the equator and there is always light for half a day, so half a day becomes 12 hours.

    To count large numbers often one hand was used to count using 5 fingers and the other to count the bones, so you get 5x12 for 60 minutes.

    • WolfLink@sh.itjust.works
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      2 months ago

      AIUI there was an aspect in the divisibility of the numbers being convenient.

      12 is divisible by 2, 3, 4, and 6. 60 is divisible by 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 12, 15, 20, and 30.

      10 is divisible by 2 and 5. 100 is divisible by 2, 4, 5, 10, 20, 25, and 50.

      If you want to minimize dealing with fractions, 12 and 60 are far more convenient than 10 and 100.

      • WhatsTheHoldup@lemmy.ml
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        2 months ago

        That’s an interesting thought, but I believe it to simply be a coincidence.

        The base 12 counting being based on counting the division of your fingers is historically verified, but if the division aspect was so compelling to them you’d expect it to carry forward into their writing system.

        By the time you get cuneiform math though, they actually go back to base 10.

        https://images.app.goo.gl/9GR6VEiT7GHYF3KaA

        As you can see base 12 is not in the written system, or for written mathematics. It just was convenient for counting on their hands.

        They used mixes of base 10/base 12 and base 60.

        Base 10 would be used go determine the symbols for a specific “digit” in base 60.

        So similar to how our 13 is 1 ten and 3 ones, their 13 was the symbol for 10 then 3 symbols for 1. 13 = 𒌋𒁹𒁹𒁹 But 73 would be written 𒁹 𒌋𒁹𒁹𒁹

        Which would be interpreted as 1 sixty and 13 ones, or 60 + 13

        • PeriodicallyPedantic@lemmy.ca
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          2 months ago

          I’ma start a revolution where we use duodecimal metric for everything, including time.

          • WanderingThoughts@europe.pub
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            2 months ago

            That’s how we ended up with 12 months of varying length in a year and it’s a mess.

            • PeriodicallyPedantic@lemmy.ca
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              2 months ago

              It’s a problem no matter how you divide the year

              That’s why I propose changing the orbit of the earth, too

              • WanderingThoughts@europe.pub
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                2 months ago

                13 months of 4 weeks + new year’s day (+leap day) actually fits perfectly.

  • Echo Dot@feddit.uk
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    2 months ago

    If the day started at 1:00 then by the second hour you would be at 2:00, even though only 1 hour has passed. Effectively the day starts at 0. In fact in 24-hour time that is how it’s depicted, 00:00 with midday being depicted as 12:00, so it isn’t confusing

    • Ricaz@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      2 months ago

      Careful, there are Americans around

    • demunted@lemmy.ml
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      2 months ago

      As a programmer I’d rather it start at 0

  • folekaule@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    At least our hours are the same length regardless of latitude now, so let’s be grateful for that.

  • lobut@lemmy.ca
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    2 months ago

    I only recently learned the etymology of the word: “second”

    Its name comes from being the “second” division of the hour, with the minute being the first.

  • MilitantAtheist@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    Clocks should use 24h format. AM/PM is completely useless.

    • neonred@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      deleted by creator

      • Hoimo@ani.social
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        2 months ago

        How do you find north on a 12h face that wouldn’t work with a 24h face? Because the method I know, requires correcting for the 12h circle.

        • neonred@lemmy.world
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          deleted by creator

          • Hoimo@ani.social
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            2 months ago

            Yeah, that’s the method I know.

            Divide the angle that is made in half

            And that’s how you correct for the 12h face.

            • neonred@lemmy.world
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              deleted by creator

  • StThicket@reddthat.com
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    2 months ago

    When I become dictator of the world, this will be the new time unit: https://metric-time.com/

    The year will also have 13 months: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Fixed_Calendar

    The year will be 12025: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holocene_calendar

    Because these things just make more sense. You will thank me after a few generations, because habits are hard to change.

  • ssfckdt@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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    2 months ago

    Somebody never had a clock with roman numerals and it shows

    I remember getting into an argument with a grade school teacher over IIII because most such clocks put that for 4 instead of IV because of some fuckin reason

    • naticus@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      Weird, I’ve seen many analog clocks with Roman numerals but always IV for 4.

      • topherclay@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        It’s actually called the “clockmakers four” or “watchmakers four.” it’s a thing.

      • Chadus_Maximus@lemm.ee
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        2 months ago

        False. I had a clock that used IIII instead.

        • naticus@lemmy.world
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          2 months ago

          Your clock having it doesn’t change that mine didn’t.

    • Opisek@lemmy.world
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      I despise these so so much. IIII was historically NEVER correct. Some doofus decided to put that on a clock because it looks more symmetrical with the VIII on the other side. Terrible reasoning.

      • some_random_nick@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        “However, even though it is now widely accepted that 4 must be written IV, the original and most ancient pattern for Roman numerals wasn’t the same as what we know today. Earliest models did, in fact, use VIIII for 9 (instead of IX) and IIII for 4 (instead of IV). However, these two numerals proved problematic, they were easily confused with III and VIII. Instead of the original additive notation, the Roman numeral system changed to the more familiar subtractive notation. However, this was well after the fall of the Roman Empire.”

        https://monochrome-watches.com/why-do-clocks-and-watches-use-roman-numeral-iiii-instead-of-iv/

      • mhague@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        IIII was the way Romans usually wrote 4. It’s associated with simplicity / illiteracy. But also depended on era, region, intended audience, or practicality. I think the most famous example is the coliseum using LIIII.

        There’s still variation even now; standardization is relatively new, and it’s not common knowledge. And dates… it’s like every 50-100 years people decided to write them differently.

  • Ascend910@lemmy.ml
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    2 months ago

    “At least we’re not mixing in letters”

    • i_love_FFT@jlai.lu
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      2 months ago

      I see IIII in there and I cry a little on the inside.

  • Corn@lemmy.ml
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    2 months ago

    The french:

    • oni ᓚᘏᗢ@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      Why the ‘IIII’ insted of ‘IV’?

      • TheReturnOfPEB@reddthat.com
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        2 months ago

        i’m pretty sure that IV is a modern typographic thing

        • NιƙƙιDιɱҽʂ@lemmy.world
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          I’ve also heard that, because in Latin IV is the beginning of “IVPPITER” (Jupiter), there’s a theory that people avoided using “IV” as to not “disrespect” the god’s name. 🤷‍♀️

          Also, on a 12 hour clock, 3 sets of four looks clean af I guess, e.g.:

          • I, II, III, IIII
          • V, VI, VII, VIII
          • IX, X, XI, XII
          • Rufus Q. Bodine III@lemmy.world
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            2 months ago

            May as well just go with VIIII then. Or maybe 9.

            • Corn@lemmy.ml
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              2 months ago

              IIIIIIIII

      • TrackinDaKraken@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        Prevents confusion between the four and the six: III, IV, V, VI, when the watch is not held perfectly vertically for viewing.

        • Sylvartas@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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          2 months ago

          Actually very common in watches with roman numbers iirc

    • edgemaster72@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      Goddamn metric time

      • bluewing@lemm.ee
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        2 months ago

        Even the French figured out that decimalized time was stupid after a couple of years.

        Which has added credence to the old saying that “The French follow no one. And no one follows the French.”

        • prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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          2 months ago

          Why is it stupid beyond, “nobody else uses it”?

  • Honytawk@lemmy.zip
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    2 months ago

    Days start at 0h, not 12h

    It can’t start at 12 hours if there are 24 segments.

    And keep your letters out of it too.

    • tauren@lemm.ee
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      2 months ago

      Days start at 0h, not 12h

      Show me where is the zero here?

      • Lumiluz@slrpnk.net
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        2 months ago

        • tauren@lemm.ee
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    • mumblerfish@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      The AM/PM bullshit:

      AM: 12, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

      Then the same for PM. Who counts like that? Whats after 12? 1! What?

  • FreedomAdvocate@lemmy.net.au
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    2 months ago

    Relatively funny but gets worse the more you think about it.

    The 6 stands for 6, not 30.

    When we have AM and PM it would be dumb to have 1-24.

    1 is the end of the 1st hour. 2 the end of the second. This is why it starts at 0.

    • Hupf@feddit.org
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      2 months ago

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      She’s a witch!

      • FreedomAdvocate@lemmy.net.au
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        2 months ago

        Only if she weighs as much as a duck.

        • Hupf@feddit.org
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          2 months ago

          She turned me into a naught!

          • FreedomAdvocate@lemmy.net.au
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            2 months ago

            *newt btw.

            • Hupf@feddit.org
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              2 months ago

              https://en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/nought#Noun

              • FreedomAdvocate@lemmy.net.au
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                2 months ago

                https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Monty_Python_and_the_Holy_Grail

                • Hupf@feddit.org
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                  2 months ago

                  Yes, that was the intended play on words.

                  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homonym

  • jballs@sh.itjust.works
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    2 months ago

    There’s Metric / Decimal Time.

    Next time someone makes a post praising the metric system and making fun of people for using imperial units, feel free to call them out as a filthy casual for using a 24-hour clock.

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