i had my german intern order 12.5mm aluminium at McMaster just earlier... LOL took him half an hour to figure out that i want 1/2" luminm.
Why do you hear motorcycle folks copy the Brits and call it a ZedX-10 all the time.....think you're being cool or something, hmmm?
Funny related story.... At the Mugello MotoGP earlier this year I was sitting on a hillside and 2 drunk Aussies walk up to me and start chatting me up (guy and his GF). They said they knew I was a Yank because my teeth were too white. They insisted that I say "aluminum" like 20 times while they rolled around on the ground belly laughing at me.
Why? Same reason we like to throw in extra "U" s in stuff (colour, armour, etc. ) It's to be all like sophisticated and shit...
If I don't use the term "holler" instead of "hollow" when describing a valley, no one here understands what I'm talking about. Aluminium on the other hand they understand, weird.
I like that word. I like to pronounce it like it's spelt. Like...coal hour. It makes me laugh. I say kuh nife too.