I was getting a bit testy today on the topic of chemical elements. In particular the spellings of Aluminum and Cesium. Somebody from the UK was telling me that these spellings are "less correct" and the British spellings of Caesium and Aluminium were "more correct" The rationale being that Aluminium was chosen over aluminim to keep the "ium" ending of most metals.
I suggested that he had better start working of having the spelling of the elements Platinum, Helium and Lanthanum changed to Platinium, Haelium and lanthanium. I also suggested that in order to keep the precious 'ium' endings for metals, Gold, Silver, Mercury, Iron, Tin, Antimony, Tungsten, Copper, and Lead should be referred to by thier latin names of Aurum, Argentum, Hydrargyrum, Ferrum, Stannum, Stibium, Wolframium, Cuprum and Plumbum. Of course an 'i' would be needed to be added to most to make the endigs "ium" instead of just "um" As for Zinc, Which came from German Zinck or Zink, I suggest Zinkium or maybe Zinkinium.
Oddly, it seems that most of the Latin names for these elements which have common English names do not end in "ium", which leads me to believe the spellings of many others were changed to "ium" for English use.
/end rant.
I suggested that he had better start working of having the spelling of the elements Platinum, Helium and Lanthanum changed to Platinium, Haelium and lanthanium. I also suggested that in order to keep the precious 'ium' endings for metals, Gold, Silver, Mercury, Iron, Tin, Antimony, Tungsten, Copper, and Lead should be referred to by thier latin names of Aurum, Argentum, Hydrargyrum, Ferrum, Stannum, Stibium, Wolframium, Cuprum and Plumbum. Of course an 'i' would be needed to be added to most to make the endigs "ium" instead of just "um" As for Zinc, Which came from German Zinck or Zink, I suggest Zinkium or maybe Zinkinium.
Oddly, it seems that most of the Latin names for these elements which have common English names do not end in "ium", which leads me to believe the spellings of many others were changed to "ium" for English use.
/end rant.