Debate: Celsius or centigrade
Talking about words
Inspired by Word4Word, our community discussed language in the forums. Join in with some points for debate.
Keith Hodgkin was a guest in the forums who had made a discovery about what we call the scales we measure heat in
I was taught at primary school (in the mid-70s) that temperature was measured in "degrees Centigrade". Yet many people now seems to say "degrees Celsius". (I'm ignoring those of a certain age, of course, who still talk in "fahrenheit"!)
I've discovered that the education authorities actually got it wrong because Centigrade was officially renamed Celsius - in honour of the Swedish astronomer who invented the system - nearly 30years before I started my primary education. It looks like I'll have to get used to saying "Celsius"!
Content last updated: 17/08/2005
