1

It is undisputed that a mile (measure of distance) comes from the latin mille passus. Mille means one thousand (1,000) and passus is translated to the Engish cognate "paces". It is therefore meant to mean "a thousand paces".

This is what we find almost anywhere, e.g. Merriam-Webster:

Middle English, from Old English mīl, from Latin milia miles, from milia passuum,literally, thousands of paces, from milia,plural of mille thousand

First Known Use: before 12th century

A thousands paces cannot cover the distane of 1 mile (1609.34 meter).

The MW definition of a pace:

any of various units of distance based on the length of a human step

Taking into a account differences in body height between now and when the term originated, this makes even less sense.

In sticking with the antropocentric units, I would say that a step is at its greatest length equal to a yard. However, there are 1,760 yards in a mile (admittedly a contemporary convention).

Why does mile/mille passus refer to a distance that is much greater than the distance 1,000 paces can mean?

N.B.: I researched this topic on this website here and elsewhere, and it just states 1,000 paces everywhere.

Improve this question
2
  • 2
    It's not unusual for meanings to shift. "Ounce" comes from "uncia" meaning "twelfth part" but there are sixteen ounces in an imperial pound. Are you going to complain that whoever came up with that etymology is an idiot?
    – Stuart F
    Commented Dec 21, 2023 at 17:53
  • @StuartF Totally, and ounce is an nice example of that indeed. In this case, the difference seemed to big to explain the discrepancy. I eventually found out it was because a Roman pace is a stride (2 steps).
    – Bastiaan Quast
    Commented Dec 21, 2023 at 19:38

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
5

The confusion comes from using the cognate "pace" in the English translation, when in fact a roman "pace" is a unit of distance described originally as a step (latin: gradūs) with each foot (AKA a full stride, although definitions vary).

This means that a Roman pace equals 2 steps and "a thousand (Roman) paces" equals 2,000 steps, which equals the distance of 1 mile.

To give another approximation, under Marcus Agrippa a Roman pace was standardized as 5 Roman feet. A mile equals 5,280 feet (contemporary convention), so 1,000 Roman paces, or 5,000 Roman feet, is pretty close to the contemporary equivalence of feet-to-a-mile.

Edit: To avoid any potential confusion, the latin gradus (step) was also a unit of measure indeed being equal half a pace, or 2½ Roman feet

Improve this answer
6
  • Fine answer. Just wondering if you could shorten your own question. You start with what's undisputed and deflate it as you answer. So not so undisputed.
    – Yosef Baskin
    Commented Dec 21, 2023 at 17:28
  • @YosefBaskin I meant to say the link mile-mille passus is undisputed. The issue is that dictionaries use the cognate pace, when in fact they should use the closer "stride". i will shorten by answer to make that clear.
    – Bastiaan Quast
    Commented Dec 21, 2023 at 19:41
  • Good to be shorter yet clearer, but I meant that the question could be shorter for setting up your answer.
    – Yosef Baskin
    Commented Dec 21, 2023 at 20:26
  • 1
    @YosefBaskin now I understand you, yes good point. Will make it so.
    – Bastiaan Quast
    Commented Dec 21, 2023 at 21:27
  • 1
    @BastiaanQuast: This idea that a stride is two paces is not agreed on by all dictionaries.
    – Peter Shor
    Commented Dec 22, 2023 at 15:59

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .