It may surprise you to learn that not all of my friends are classics students. 
- Edit 1
- Edit 1Before modification by Ghavrel at 02/06/2010 05:21:40 AM
You know as well as I do how the word is used by people in the United States, even by the fully educated. Minutia, in this country among English speakers, is generally understood to describe small details in the plural.
The reason I consulted the dictionary was because my experience is the opposite of yours; I don't know anyone who says "minutia." At first I thought you were confused about the pronunciation of it, because I can't ever remember seeing or hearing "minutia."
And I think the "usually used in plural" means that minutiae, the plural, is used--not that minutia is used as a plural.
Well you are a classics student, so it makes sense that the people you know say the word properly. Either they are also trained in the classics or you've beaten the corrections into their heads
