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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/34788
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/34788
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

It depends on whether you are using the local unit of measure for information or for atmosphere. If you use modern units in an historical setting (kilometers and grams in ancient Egypt, for instance, readers will know how large a quantity you are talking about, but it will sound completely out of place since those units were not used at that time and most readers, even those who are largely historically illiterate, will probably realize that. It is a bit like talking about Cleopatra's cell phone or panty hose.

If you want an air of authenticity about your narrative, therefore, you should use cubits, or spans, or furlongs, or rods, or whatever unit of measure at least sounds like it comes from the period or society in question. But the consequence of this is that your readers will not know exactly how large the quantities are.

This may not matter very much. You are writing a novel, not an instruction manual. A vague general sense of proportion is probable all you need to give for most measures. This can often be created by providing another clue.

> They walked 12 furlongs to the bridge, arriving around noon.

In most cases the feeling of authenticity is more important the the precision of the measures, so go for authenticity and, where measures matter at all, support a general sense of proportion with other textual clues.

Original score: 3