Comments on: Nuke of Earl http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/03/09/nuke-of-earl/ I am an astronomer, writer, and skeptic. I likes reality the way it is, and I aims to keep it that way. My real name is Phil Plait, and I run the Bad Astronomy blog. Sun, 05 Jul 2009 20:15:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: Melusine http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/03/09/nuke-of-earl/#comment-32394 Melusine Mon, 19 Mar 2007 22:09:32 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/03/09/nuke-of-earl/#comment-32394 In case anyone happens upon this thread again, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Inventing-English-Portable-History-Language/dp/023113794X/ref=dp_return_2/103-4296261-9258238?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books&qid=1174340859&qid=1174340859&sr=1-1" rel="nofollow">this new book by Seth Lerer</a> looks readable for all. My Old English professor would read Old English (pre-<i>Beowulf</i>) and compare it to modern rap (as far as the rhythm), and that was over 15 years ago. I've never read anything by this author, but his credentials look good, and from what it sounds like, he's probably right on the money. I certainly will buy it, but it's still on pre-order. Read the descreption. :-) In case anyone happens upon this thread again, this new book by Seth Lerer looks readable for all. My Old English professor would read Old English (pre-Beowulf) and compare it to modern rap (as far as the rhythm), and that was over 15 years ago. I’ve never read anything by this author, but his credentials look good, and from what it sounds like, he’s probably right on the money. I certainly will buy it, but it’s still on pre-order. Read the descreption. :-)

]]> By: icemith http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/03/09/nuke-of-earl/#comment-32437 icemith Wed, 14 Mar 2007 04:44:02 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/03/09/nuke-of-earl/#comment-32437 We live and learn. (But one never knows if one never asks - or, for those who prefer - ya never learn if ya don't ask.) Ivan. We live and learn. (But one never knows if one never asks - or, for those who prefer - ya never learn if ya don’t ask.)

Ivan.

]]> By: CR http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/03/09/nuke-of-earl/#comment-32436 CR Wed, 14 Mar 2007 01:48:50 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/03/09/nuke-of-earl/#comment-32436 To further illustrate that point, my 20-year old copy of Webster's New World Dictionary (2nd College Edition) lists 'aluminium' as the British variant of 'aluminum.' To further illustrate that point, my 20-year old copy of Webster’s New World Dictionary (2nd College Edition) lists ‘aluminium’ as the British variant of ‘aluminum.’

]]> By: Irishman http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/03/09/nuke-of-earl/#comment-32435 Irishman Tue, 13 Mar 2007 20:29:25 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/03/09/nuke-of-earl/#comment-32435 Aluminum vs Aluminium is an old battle. Alum was the source, and when trying to name the elemental metal, there were two approaches taken. Aluminum was taken to be similar to platinum and molybdenum. Aluminium was taken to be similar to sodium, calcuim, potassium, etc. Ergo, the British established one official spelling and pronunciation, the Americans another. This has become accepted as a regional distinction. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminum Aluminum vs Aluminium is an old battle. Alum was the source, and when trying to name the elemental metal, there were two approaches taken. Aluminum was taken to be similar to platinum and molybdenum. Aluminium was taken to be similar to sodium, calcuim, potassium, etc. Ergo, the British established one official spelling and pronunciation, the Americans another. This has become accepted as a regional distinction.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminum

]]> By: CR http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/03/09/nuke-of-earl/#comment-32326 CR Tue, 13 Mar 2007 19:04:25 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/03/09/nuke-of-earl/#comment-32326 Hey, there's an echo in here! (I brought up 'aluminum' vs 'aluminium' on March 11th. I used to find the British pronunciation baffling as well, until I realised it's actually spelled that way, and we Americans have had it 'wrong'--er different--all this time.) Hey, there’s an echo in here! (I brought up ‘aluminum’ vs ‘aluminium’ on March 11th. I used to find the British pronunciation baffling as well, until I realised it’s actually spelled that way, and we Americans have had it ‘wrong’–er different–all this time.)

]]> By: icemith http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/03/09/nuke-of-earl/#comment-32434 icemith Tue, 13 Mar 2007 18:20:41 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/03/09/nuke-of-earl/#comment-32434 Don't know why the first post omitted the quote, so sorry for having to send it again, but I removed a couple of arrows first, and it worked. Ivan. Don’t know why the first post omitted the quote, so sorry for having to send it again, but I removed a couple of arrows first, and it worked.

Ivan.

]]> By: icemith http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/03/09/nuke-of-earl/#comment-32433 icemith Tue, 13 Mar 2007 18:16:12 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/03/09/nuke-of-earl/#comment-32433 sirjonsnow, you said at 06:58am, 'I remember an old science film where the British narrator pronounced “aluminum” as ah-loo-min-E-um. Blech.' Did you not notice that the spelling of the element whose symbol is 'Al', is 'A-l-u-m-i-n-i-u-m', at least in British English (now that has to be tautology), so how would you expect a British narrator to pronounce it? The rest of the English speaking world spells it with the second 'i', and we all pronounce it accordingly. I think your spelled version of the narrator's effort would be slightly wrong too. I would think 'al-you-min-ee-um', or if an older or high society person, 'ahl-you-min-ee-um', but both with the stress on the 'min' syllable. A check of three dictionaries I have handy, all give the two versions for the metal in question, so they are both right. Regionalism again I guess. I also checked a German-English Dictionary and it is spelled with the second 'i' as well. I wonder how it is in other languages? Strangely though, we all seem to say 'a-loom-in-a' for the oxide found in bauxite from which Aluminium is produced. Ivan. sirjonsnow, you said at 06:58am,
‘I remember an old science film where the British narrator pronounced “aluminum” as ah-loo-min-E-um. Blech.’

Did you not notice that the spelling of the element whose symbol is ‘Al’, is ‘A-l-u-m-i-n-i-u-m’, at least in British English (now that has to be tautology), so how would you expect a British narrator to pronounce it?

The rest of the English speaking world spells it with the second ‘i’, and we all pronounce it accordingly. I think your spelled version of the narrator’s effort would be slightly wrong too. I would think ‘al-you-min-ee-um’, or if an older or high society person, ‘ahl-you-min-ee-um’, but both with the stress on the ‘min’ syllable.

A check of three dictionaries I have handy, all give the two versions for the metal in question, so they are both right. Regionalism again I guess. I also checked a German-English Dictionary and it is spelled with the second ‘i’ as well. I wonder how it is in other languages?

Strangely though, we all seem to say ‘a-loom-in-a’ for the oxide found in bauxite from which Aluminium is produced.

Ivan.

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