Originally posted by rwingettI had this same discussion with an Australian co-worker. He slowly and deliberately sounded out the syllables a-lu-min-i-um. I waited patiently and then explained, as you just did, that we spell it differently. He didn't want to believe me 🙂
Aluminium? Never heard of it. Aluminum (with no second "i" ) is the correct American spelling.
Anyone know which is the original English spelling/pronunciation? It seems a Latin-ish word to me, and in that case it seems 'aluminum' is probably the English original and correct. But I'm no more a linguist than I am a chess master...
Originally posted by huntingbearMy dictionary says it is derived from the Latin word "alumina".
I had this same discussion with an Australian co-worker. He slowly and deliberately sounded out the syllables a-lu-min-[b]i-um. I waited patiently and then explained, as you just did, that we spell it differently. He didn't want to believe me 🙂
Anyone know which is the original English spelling/pronunciation? It seems a Latin-ish word to me, and i ...[text shortened]... obably the English original and correct. But I'm no more a linguist than I am a chess master...[/b]
Originally posted by PhlabibitI don't know about England, but in Australia they use those pronunciations (isn't it funny when someone says 'pronounciations'?) you've given.
US - Tire
England - Tyre?
Jaguar:
US - Jag-wahr
England - Jag-u-are
Others include...
Premiere:
US - prem-ear
OZ - prem-ee-air
Tomato, a well known one.
US - diaper
OZ - nappy
Zebra:
US - zee-bra
OZ - zeb-ra
The letter Z
US - zee
OZ - zed
The letter H
US - aych
OZ - haych
Etc. etc.
Originally posted by rwingettI found a little more about the history of the English word here:
My dictionary says it is derived from the Latin word "alumina".
http://www.vanderkrogt.net/elements/elem/al.html
In 1761 the French chemist Louis-Bernard Guyton de Morveau (1737-1816) proposed the name alumine for the base in alum. Guyton de Morveau was instrumental in setting up a standardised system for chemical nomenclature and often collaborated with Antoine Lavoisier, who in 1787, suggested that alumine was the oxide of a previously undiscovered metal.
In 1807, Sir Humphry Davy (1778-1829) proposed the name alumium for this still undiscovered metal and later agreed to change it to aluminum. Shortly thereafter, the name aluminium was adopted by IUPAC to conform with the -ium ending of most elements. By the mid-1800s both spellings were in use...
So 'aluminum' is earlier than 'aluminium' but 'alumium' seems to be the original English word.
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Originally posted by PhlabibitStrangely enough, there is now no disagreement between most Britons and Americans on this. These days, 'trillion' usually means 1 000 000 000 000 in the UK as well.
How many zero's in a Trillion?
However, as far as I know most European countries still use the "British" system of numbering. Thus 'trillion' in English translates to billion in French, billón in Spanish, bilione in Italian and Billion in German. 🙄
PS: While we're in pedants' corner, the plural of "zero" is either "zeros" or "zeroes".
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Originally posted by rwingetthave a look at the table of elements, you might seee a theme.
Aluminium? Never heard of it. Aluminum (with no second "i" ) is the correct American spelling.
ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium um ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium
see if you can find aluminum above.
how about nucular weapons?
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Originally posted by AcolyteOh, yeah... Zero's was just bad spelling... Thats me.
Strangely enough, there is now no disagreement between most Britons and Americans on this. These days, 'trillion' usually means 1 000 000 000 000 in the UK as well.
However, as far as I know most European countries still use the "Bri ...[text shortened]... corner, the plural of "zero" is either "zeros" or "zeroes".
The King's English was first, so you guys must be right.. I just find it funny that not only do we try to spell and sound different... we drive on the other side of the road!
Oh, and my car has this.. A hood, and trunk, and a roof! It even has a dashboard!!!!!
P-
Originally posted by flexmoreAnd what do you call hydrogen? Hydrogenium?
have a look at the table of elements, you might seee a theme.
ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium um ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ium ...[text shortened]... m ium ium ium ium ium ium ium
see if you can find aluminum above.
how about nucular weapons?
That you put forward what seems to be a justification for your position is irrelevant. The fact remains that aluminum is the correct American spelling. The point of this thread was to critique people who violate the accepted standards of their own language, not to try to justify particular regionalisms. People who say, "I could care less" (as in Acolyte's example) are wrong everywhere in the world, not just in England.
Originally posted by rwingettYou sound like a purist. That makes languages dead as doornails. Why do you want to freeze your language? It is quite normal that expressions, sentences, words, grammar, syntaxes, and pronunciation change.
And what do you call hydrogen? Hydrogenium?
That you put forward what seems to be a justification for your position is irrelevant. The fact remains that aluminum is the correct American spelling. The point of this thread was to critique people who violate the accepted standards of their own language, not to try to justify particular regionalisms. People ...[text shortened]... d care less" (as in Acolyte's example) are wrong everywhere in the world, not just in England.
Fjord