Why do brits say "aluminium" instead of...

[digitalwanderer]

...."aluminum" like it's supposed to be pronounced?

My bro just mentioned it in a thread over at EB and it got me wonder, why do the brits put an extra vowel in there? :|

EDITED BITS: Changed it to accomodate the max title length limit.

 

[The549]

I thought that was the correct way to say it?

 

[Frank]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminium

 

[Farid]

(L. alumen: alum) The ancient Greeks and Romans used alum as an astringent and as a mordant in dyeing. In 1761 de Morveau proposed the name alumine for the base in alum, and Lavoisier, in 1787, thought this to be the oxide of a still undiscovered metal.

Wohler is generally credited with having isolated the metal in 1827, although an impure form was prepared by Oersted two years earlier. In 1807, Davy proposed the name aluminum for the metal, undiscovered at that time, and later agreed to change it to aluminum. Shortly thereafter, the name aluminum was adopted to conform with the "ium" ending of most elements, and this spelling is now in use elsewhere in the world.

Aluminium was also the accepted spelling in the U.S. until 1925, at which time the American Chemical Society officially decided to use the name aluminum thereafter in their publications.

 

[digitalwanderer]

(L. alumen: alum) The ancient Greeks and Romans used alum as an astringent and as a mordant in dyeing. In 1761 de Morveau proposed the name alumine for the base in alum, and Lavoisier, in 1787, thought this to be the oxide of a still undiscovered metal.

Wohler is generally credited with having isolated the metal in 1827, although an impure form was prepared by Oersted two years earlier. In 1807, Davy proposed the name aluminum for the metal, undiscovered at that time, and later agreed to change it to aluminum. Shortly thereafter, the name aluminum was adopted to conform with the "ium" ending of most elements, and this spelling is now in use elsewhere in the world.

Aluminium was also the accepted spelling in the U.S. until 1925, at which time the American Chemical Society officially decided to use the name aluminum thereafter in their publications.

OMG, I had no clue there was really an answer...thank you!

 

[Farid]

OMG, I had no clue there was really an answer...thank you!

You're welcome, Digi.

 

[pocketmoon66]

...."aluminum" like it's supposed to be pronounced?

same reason why you dropped a u from colour, spell minimised as minimized and why people leave in Pittsburgh rather than Pittsborough

 

[_xxx_]

And they go to the theater instead of theatre...

 

[digitalwanderer]

Really?

The one that kills me is "sed-jewel" for "schedule".

Hmm, mebbe I should start saying "aluminium" then to better annoy friends and family....it'll go well with me whole "bloody" kick.

 

[RussSchultz]

they're actually saying "shed-jewel", which is about right for the letters that are there.

Chiner, however is not how China is pronounced.

 

[digitalwanderer]

Also, is "left-tenant" an actual military rank over there? :|

 

[Bouncing Zabaglione Bros.]

Also, is "left-tenant" an actual military rank over there? :|

Yes - because we speak English, not American:

"The Americans are identical to the British in all respects except, of course, language."
Oscar Wilde

"We (the British and Americans) are two countries separated by a common language."
G.B. Shaw

 

[MasterBaiter]

Hehe a silly question that didn't seem so silly after hearing the answer.

The hood of a car in the UK is called a bonnet, and french fries are chips. Silly gits.

 

[Gerry]

Funny, because I've always thought, why do yanks pronounce the word "aluminum" instead of how it should be pronounced.

Strange world isn't it?

 

[digitalwanderer]

Strange world isn't it?

Yup, but that's what keeps it from getting boring.

 

[London Geezer]

Why don't donkeys fly? Usually?

 

[Guden Oden]

Chiner, however is not how China is pronounced.

How about "'murrica" then?

 

[K.I.L.E.R]

The rest of the world also spells "nite" as "night".

 

[RussSchultz]

Chiner, however is not how China is pronounced.

How about "'murrica" then?

What about murrica?

I presume you're referring to "america". I don't know anybody who pronounces it as "murrica", though, so I'm kinda scratching my head.

 

[RussSchultz]

The rest of the world also spells "nite" as "night".

Its only spelled 'nite' in product names, as far as I know.