aluminium - aluminum

[bonsaimaster]

y do americans say aluminum and we say aluminium whats the right way of saying it?

[shammydodger]

"In historical terms Aluminium is a relatively new metal which was isolated early in the 19th century. In 1782 the great French chemist, Lavoisier, said it was the oxide of an unknown metal.

This opinion was repeated by Sir Humphrey Davy in 1808, and Sir Humphrey gave it the name "Aluminum" which he felt sounded more scientific than "metal of clay". His spelling is still used in North America but elsewhere in the world the spelling "Aluminium", following the suggestion of Henri Sainte-Clair Deville, is used."

Quote courtesy of http://www.snelsons.co.uk/aluminium_history.ht ml

Since Humphrey Davy was British, it rather puts the lie to the oft-repeated claim that America corrupted the name, although "aluminium" sits more consistently with the other elements whose names end "ium."

[jno]

both are right. One is right in America, one is right in Britain. You just have to be bilingual.

[kev100]

We say toe marto they say tumaydah, gradually the english language is becoming more americanised through television and film, there isn't much we can do about it.