this post was submitted on 05 May 2024
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[–] alcoholicorn@lemmy.ml 7 points 6 months ago (8 children)

There is one i in Aluminum. It is not silent.

All the other elements use an i before the u. At some point we should fix the spelling: Helum, Sodum, Plutonum, etc

[–] Th4tGuyII@kbin.social 20 points 6 months ago (7 children)

Oh, really?

The official IUPAC spelling is "Aluminium" - notice how there are two "I"s in there.

Since IUPAC is quite literally the international authority on chemical terminology, I'd suggest their spelling is the correct one.

If you want to spell it wrong, you do you, but don't act like it's the correct way to spell it.

[–] alcoholicorn@lemmy.ml 3 points 6 months ago (6 children)

The IUPAC can spell it how they like. But what is correct in language is determined by the way people use it, not whatever archaic rules your middleschool teacher told you (english) or some central authority publishes (looking at you French and Spanish).

A quick search of lemmy gives >75 pages of aluminum comments, and <35 pages of aluminium comments.

I'm sure that will change when American cultural hegemony fades, but for now, it is what it is.

[–] exocrinous@startrek.website 2 points 6 months ago

Yeah but the thing is, Th4tguyII has the most upvoted comment in this subthread. Language is a democracy and the people have spoken.

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