Is it spelled aluminum or aluminium?
The Language Divide: Aluminum vs. Aluminium
In chemistry, materials science, and everyday conversation, few words cause as much debate as the metallic element with atomic number 13. Is it spelled aluminum or aluminium?
The short answer is: both refer to the exact same chemical element (symbol Al). The difference in spelling is a geographical divide. While the United States and Canada use aluminum (four syllables), the rest of the English-speaking world—including Ireland, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand—uses aluminium (five syllables).
How Sir Humphry Davy Named the Metal
The spelling split dates back to the early 19th century when English chemist Sir Humphry Davy first isolated the metal. In 1807, he proposed naming the element alumium. A few years later, in 1812, he revised his preference to aluminum in his book Chemical Philosophy.
However, the British scientific community was not satisfied. Other chemists felt the suffix did not sound sufficiently classical. They argued the name should end in -ium to match other newly discovered metallic elements of the era, such as sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Consequently, they adopted the spelling aluminium.
Linguistic Standards: US vs. Rest of the World
In 1828, Noah Webster published his famous American Dictionary of the English Language. He chose the spelling aluminum. His standardization influenced the spelling used by industries and consumers throughout the United States. In contrast, the British scientific press and the general public stuck with the -ium spelling.
In 1990, the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) officially accepted aluminium as the international standard. However, in 1993, they acknowledged aluminum as an acceptable variant, reflecting the deep integration of the spelling in North American science and manufacturing.