On Thu, 14 Nov 2002, at around 09:11:49 local time, Richard Gosling
<richard.gosling@exprogroup.com> wrote:
>STERLING: In case some readers didn't realise this, some other countries
>have currencies that are also called pounds - the only ones I can think of
>are Ireland (where it's pronounced 'punt') and in Italy the word 'Lira' is
>the Italian for pound, and the currency symbol is similar - at least it was
>until it all got dumped for the Euro. Which probably makes Sterling the
>only currency left called Pound.
The Turks still use the Lira (pl. Lirasi) - I have a Turkish
million-pound-note which I carry around in the back of my wallet for no
good reason. The Egyptian currency is actually called the "Pound" (and
I find that I still have three pounds and fifty piastres in the back of
my wallet). The currency in Bulgaria is the Lev (pl. Leva), which also
derives from the Latin "Libra" (and I have a two Leva note in there as
well - I wish I had some real money!).
> Our pound is called Sterling because we
>are too self-important to called it simply the British Pound (like the US
>dollar versus the Canadian dollar versus the Australian dollar; French Franc
>versus Swiss Franc etc.)
No, as with most British oddities, it is rooted in medieval history -
see separate posting.
ATB
--
Mike
Ellie - 1963 White Herald 1200 Convertible GA125624 CV
Connie - 1968 Conifer Herald 1200 Saloon GA237511 DL
Carly - 1977 Inca Yellow Spitfire 1500 FM105671
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