"Silver Paper" by any other name...'-}}

[Steve Rindsberg]

Originally Posted by Michael Rowley

Steve:
I should have known you people would have a longer-winded name for it; I'll be more cautious next time I think there's no difference between British names and American names for the same thing. I should have looked at this first:

‘In the United States and Canada, a residual current device is also known as a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI), ground fault interrupter (GFI) or an appliance leakage current interrupter (ALCI). In Australia they are sometimes known as "safety switches" or simply "RCD".’

Our beaurocrats are windier than yours, is that what you're suggesting?
Since wind and nuisance seems to be the measure of the job, that'd mean ours are more capable than yours, heaven help us all.

We at least do a more concise job with the material we used to but no longer make wiring of, AL. Though it escapes me why we'd have it with an "um" instead of "ium" when nearly every other element with an "m" at the end of its name has "iu" immediately preceding it. Lanthanum, molybdenum and platinum excepted. Is there some obscure (at least to me) bit of Latin grammar that explains the "um" vs "ium" distinction?

Come to think of it, any bit of Latin grammar you care to choose is obscure to me now.

Ah, but here we are:

http://www.worldwidewords.org/articles/aluminium.htm

Blame it on Davey's indecisiveness reinforced by Noah Webster.