Switch to metric measurements and you don't have the same confusing wording. But then again, you would have to convert volume and weight measures from the English units to metric units, and that's confusing enough as it is.
There is a reason that engineers, chemists, and scientific types use metric measurements.
Me I still use English volume and weight measurements. it's what I'm used to.
Ounces - a measure of weight where 16 ounces = 1 lb., 2000 lbs. = 1 ton
Fluid ounce - 8 fluid ounces = 1 cup, 16 fluid ounces = 1 pint, 32 fluid ounces = 1 quart, 128 fluid ounces = 1 gallon
Profesional bakers use recipes that measure by weight as there is often considerable variation in the actual amount of matter in a container. For instance, sifted flour contains much more air between particulates, than does flour that's been bounced around in the back of a truck. The jostling causes the flour particles to settle, squeezing out much of the air, and so a cup of that flour weighs more. Teh same is true of all solid material in an enclosed space. Liquids, on the other hand, then to maintain a constant weight per volume due to the nature of the liquids. However, a gallon of milk weighs less than a gallon of water, but more than a gallon of oil. Different liquids have different specific weights.
And as posted above, dry measuring cups are substantially different than are measuring cups designed for fluid measurements.
Hope that helps.
Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North