“It was British scientists of the time, however, that decided, with a beautiful level of verbosity, that: “Aluminium, for so we shall take the liberty of writing the word, in preference to aluminum, which has a less classical sound.”
For the US spelling + pronunciation, we can blame Noah Webster and Charles Martin Hall.
Greg Moore Today I learned that aluminum and aluminium are actually two different words and not an accent. Thanks for that. Language is fun.
Clifford Beshers @gregmoore Do people who say “nuculur” also say “nuculus” for “nucleus”?
Clifford Beshers @parag I’m not sure about that. Ask versus Aks or Ax has cultural significance and a long history
The origins of “nuclear” are more recent, but older than I expected: 1704 seems to be the origin, from the early days of exploring the structure of cells.
Greg Moore @cliffordbeshers Good question as it seems to be an American southern accent thing that drives it.
annie's micro(b)log @maique I feel like American arrogance may still have something to do with it. 🙄
annie's micro(b)log @gregmoore Yay language is fun! I love these little tidbits too.
annie's micro(b)log @JMaxB What a fun memory, and clever naming – obviously stuck, since you remember it!
annie's micro(b)log @gregmoore @cliffordbeshers Also very Midwest - perhaps only more Southern or rural Midwest. I’ve heard versions from MS to MO.
annie's micro(b)log @pratik @cliffordbeshers @parag Important distinction: mispronunciation versus cultural- or regional-specific pronunciation.
Aaron Gross When I was growing up in the St. Louis area the white people I knew said “ask” and most black people I knew said “aks.” There at least it was an ethnic and also a class thing. Middle-class blacks said “ask.”