Ghyll:Chesix System Of Measures
Contents
Overview
The existence of the Chesix Society is widely debated among scholars, and the system of measurement attributed to them is believed to have originated during the period of the Nitenmangrey. It is clear someone conceived and developed the system, but the fact that such a complex set of rules has been able to survive, even before written records became commonplace, is remarkable.
The Rules of Distance
Distance is fixed - the standard is the Rod of Quiends which is stored in a vault in the headquarters of the Aminfarances Institute of Science and Technomancy. A sugro-nanit is defined to be 3657 lengths of the Rod of Quiends, and it is accepted fact that 25 sugro-nanits are 201,168 nanits. Thus, there are 8046.72 nanits in a sugro-nanit and the Rod of Quiends is approximately 2.2 nanits long (8046.72/3657 = 2.20016407 nanits).
- 1 lunanit = 11 kunanit (5.08 lunanits = 1 sugro-nanit).
- 1 kunanit = 9 unanit.
- 1 unanit = 16 nanit.
- 1 nanit = 11 inanit.
- 1 inanit = 9 kinanit.
- 1 kinanit = 13 linanit.
- 1 lele = 9 lunanits = 99 kunanits = 891 unanits = 14,256 nanits
= 156,816 inanits = 1,411,344 kinanits = 18,347,472 linanits. - 1 lele = 1.772 sugro-nanits.
Much fuss is made of the complexity of the system's linear measurement. It is clear to this author that the complexity is derived from two truths. First, the Rod of Quiends is clearly the standard for the definition of the sugro-nanit. This unit of measure has gained almost universal support, which is why the only place we are likely to see the other nanit variations (unanit, lunanit, kunanit, etc.) are in texts. In everyday life, people tend to use nanits, sugro-nanits and leles.
Secondly, the nanit is clearly the standard size for a Bindlet Ball. Although these objects are notoriously unstable with respect to diameter (at least within the past 60 years), it is still a generally accepted principle. Which of these two standards came first is not clear, and probably apocryphal; regardless, they do see everyday use.
The Rules of Mass
- A single Fefferberry will have a mass of 1 gyup and is the standard against which a gyup is measured.
- A cube of water 1 nanit x 1 nanit x 1 nanit will have a mass of 1,331 gyup, equal to 0.86037 lugyup.
Many have noted that 1331 Fefferberries almost never have the same mass as a cubic nanit of water. This is unfortunate, because the variance is unpredictable. Most consider this a sign that the gods are testing us.
The Rules of Volume
- A cube measuring 1 nanit x 1 nanit x 1 nanit will have a volume of 1 wurp.
- A cube measuring 1 unanit x 1 unanit x 1 unanit will have a volume of 4,096 wurp.
- 1 wurp of water will have a mass of 1,331 gyup or 0.86037 lugyup.
The Rules of Temperature
- Water will freeze at 0 yip.
- Water will boil at 100 yip.
This rule is subject to change depending on location. Scholars have noted that this is not constant but varies. It is true when at the coast, but will change in the mountains. The reason behind this inconsistency is unclear.
Summary
It is certain that as study in this field progresses, more standards will likely be developed. To date, Chesix standards have fullfilled their function, allowing commerce to flourish, the rules of Bindlet Ball to be codified (at least as far as ball size), and history to be studied.
Some, notably the philosopher and mathematician Pricludious, claim that the Chesix system has nothing to do with standards and is biased toward merchants. This scholar believes that if Pricludious had been a little less pedantic, he might have enjoyed life a little more than he did.
Citations: Bindlet Ball, Pricludious, Rod of Quiends.
--Dok 19:41, 23 Sep 2004 (EDT)
Just for fun, here's a conversion of the units into their Gerth equivalents:
- 1 inanit = 1.82 centimetres (0.72 inches)
- 1 nanit = 20 centimetres (7.87 inches)
- 1 unanit = 3.2 metres (10.5 feet)
- 1 kunanit = 28.8 metres (31.5 yards)
- 1 lunanit = 316.8 metres (346.45 yards, 1.57 furlongs)
- 1 sugro-nanit (8046.72 nanits) = 1 mile
--Sean B. Palmer 16:18, 28 Jan 2005 (EST)
