6 ms·

Kudos to the scientists for working out how to work with this element. But I have to say, as a speaker of a post-colonial English dialect with strong British E

Kudos to the scientists for working out how to work with this element. But I have to say, as a speaker of a post-colonial English dialect with strong British English roots... ...calling the element berkelium is either very innocent Berkley pride, or they knew what they were doing... https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/berk https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/berk

stavros 2y ago
I'm going to with the former! Especially since "berk" still comes from "Berkeley".
labster 2y ago
I’m not sure which Berkeley you’re thinking of, but I’m pretty sure it’s named after the one located at: Lr Bk National Laboratory, Bk, Cf Am
- hehbot 2y ago
  Four elements in a single address is an insane flex
  - perihelions 2y ago
    YTbErYb, Sc? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ytterby https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ytterby ("Ytterby is the single richest source of elemental discoveries in the world; the chemical elements yttrium (Y), terbium (Tb), erbium (Er), and ytterbium (Yb) are all named after Ytterby")
    - perihelions 2y ago
      YTbErYb, Sc Eu You could *almost* squeeze in a seventh, as Holmium is named after the city of Stockholm; and the city Ytterby is in the greater Stockholm area, in Sweden. Sadly, Ytterby doesn't seem to be contained in any political division with a proper name containing "Stockholm". So, that doesn't work. (Though Ytterby is in a geographic region called the "Stockholm archipelago").
  - anthk 2y ago
    He/she forgot Na for National.
    - asielen 2y ago
      Except all of the elements in the address above were at least partially discovered at that address or by teams with connections to that lab. Although usually it is a joint discovery with at least one other lab. Na is a bit older than those labs. Berkeley Lawrence elements: https://www2.lbl.gov/Science-Articles/Archive/new-elements-here.html https://www2.lbl.gov/Science-Articles/Archive/new-elements-h... Lawrence Livermore elements: https://www.llnl.gov/article/41866/lawrence-livermore-credited-discovery-elements-115-117-and-118#:~:text=The%20International%20Union%20of%20Pure,elements%20115%2C%20117%20and%20118. https://www.llnl.gov/article/41866/lawrence-livermore-credit...
- deleted 2y ago
  [deleted]
DarkNova6 2y ago
Well, given the difficulties working with this highly radioactive element...
b800h 2y ago
Not many people are aware that Berk is a piece of Cockney rhyming slang, although perhaps more now that it's listed on that Wiktionary entry. Berkeley Hunt => C.. My grandmother used to use it all the time; she'd be horrified. Its meaning has diverged significantly from its origin.
- RugnirViking 2y ago
  > Not many people are aware that Berk is a piece of Cockney rhyming slang, I'd say at least the ~70M population of the uk would know it. Probably quite a few outside also
  - robocat 2y ago
    In my childhood in New Zealand I remember berk used to mean plonker/fool. Wiktionary says: berk (UK, Ireland, Commonwealth) a fool, a prat, a twit, etc. Although the term remains in fairly wide use, its specific origin and meaning in rhyming slang is less well known, lessening its vulgarity. Synonyms see fool and idiot.
    - defrost 2y ago
      In the AU / NZ domain the Burke and Wills expedition of 1860-61 helped, fairly or unfairly, cement the association of 'Burke' with foolish. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burke_and_Wills_expedition https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burke_and_Wills_expedition
  - Loughla 2y ago
    Midwest United States we used to use the word Berk interchangeably with times we would use the word asshole. I never really understood why, but now that I understand it's rhyming slang I'm even more confused as to why we did that.
    - opello 2y ago
      Which part of the midwest?

stavros 2y ago

I'm going to with the former! Especially since "berk" still comes from "Berkeley".

labster 2y ago

I’m not sure which Berkeley you’re thinking of, but I’m pretty sure it’s named after the one located at: Lr Bk National Laboratory, Bk, Cf Am

hehbot 2y ago
Four elements in a single address is an insane flex
- perihelions 2y ago
  YTbErYb, Sc? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ytterby https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ytterby ("Ytterby is the single richest source of elemental discoveries in the world; the chemical elements yttrium (Y), terbium (Tb), erbium (Er), and ytterbium (Yb) are all named after Ytterby")
  - perihelions 2y ago
    YTbErYb, Sc Eu You could *almost* squeeze in a seventh, as Holmium is named after the city of Stockholm; and the city Ytterby is in the greater Stockholm area, in Sweden. Sadly, Ytterby doesn't seem to be contained in any political division with a proper name containing "Stockholm". So, that doesn't work. (Though Ytterby is in a geographic region called the "Stockholm archipelago").
- anthk 2y ago
  He/she forgot Na for National.
  - asielen 2y ago
    Except all of the elements in the address above were at least partially discovered at that address or by teams with connections to that lab. Although usually it is a joint discovery with at least one other lab. Na is a bit older than those labs. Berkeley Lawrence elements: https://www2.lbl.gov/Science-Articles/Archive/new-elements-here.html https://www2.lbl.gov/Science-Articles/Archive/new-elements-h... Lawrence Livermore elements: https://www.llnl.gov/article/41866/lawrence-livermore-credited-discovery-elements-115-117-and-118#:~:text=The%20International%20Union%20of%20Pure,elements%20115%2C%20117%20and%20118. https://www.llnl.gov/article/41866/lawrence-livermore-credit...
deleted 2y ago
[deleted]

DarkNova6 2y ago

Well, given the difficulties working with this highly radioactive element...

b800h 2y ago

Not many people are aware that Berk is a piece of Cockney rhyming slang, although perhaps more now that it's listed on that Wiktionary entry. Berkeley Hunt => C.. My grandmother used to use it all the time; she'd be horrified. Its meaning has diverged significantly from its origin.

RugnirViking 2y ago
> Not many people are aware that Berk is a piece of Cockney rhyming slang, I'd say at least the ~70M population of the uk would know it. Probably quite a few outside also
- robocat 2y ago
  In my childhood in New Zealand I remember berk used to mean plonker/fool. Wiktionary says: berk (UK, Ireland, Commonwealth) a fool, a prat, a twit, etc. Although the term remains in fairly wide use, its specific origin and meaning in rhyming slang is less well known, lessening its vulgarity. Synonyms see fool and idiot.
  - defrost 2y ago
    In the AU / NZ domain the Burke and Wills expedition of 1860-61 helped, fairly or unfairly, cement the association of 'Burke' with foolish. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burke_and_Wills_expedition https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burke_and_Wills_expedition
- Loughla 2y ago
  Midwest United States we used to use the word Berk interchangeably with times we would use the word asshole. I never really understood why, but now that I understand it's rhyming slang I'm even more confused as to why we did that.
  - opello 2y ago
    Which part of the midwest?