On 22/05/16 10:27, Stephen Thomas Cole wrote:
Roger Hayter wrote:
Stephen Thomas Cole wrote:

Ian Jackson wrote:
In message , Stephen Thomas Cole
writes
Roger Hayter wrote:
Spike wrote:

On 21/05/2016 11:20, Ian Jackson wrote:
In message , Jeff writes

Well my UK 1956 Collins Dictionary says for 'antenna' noun...
(Wireless)...plural antennas.

So antennas was certainly accepted as correct in the UK in 1956.

Jeff

In the UK, I think it's only some of the more-esoteric scientific
research boffins in WW2 who would have used 'antenna' and 'antennae'.

When R V Jones wrote his report on the Luftwaffe's X-Gerate navigation
and bombing system, he included a photograph of a Heinkel 111 annotated
with arrows pointing to the three aerials of the system, which he had
labelled 'X-Beam antennae'.

[uk.radio.amateur added]

Yes, I think it has more to do wtth the kind of education one has had
(in school, or self-selected), than to with with being 'esoteric' or a
'boffin'. In fact, the very term 'boffin' is rarely heard except when
used by the wilfully ignorant (those who think football is important for
instance) about people who seem cleverer than themselves.


I can honestly say that the only people I have ever heard use the word
"boffin" are tabloid newspaper journalists, usually in stories about
cloning sheep or GM food.

And now you. Congratulations!

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear!


I've never heard a "real person" say it, other than Rog, ITT!

Since I only quoted it, in inverted commas, from Ian, that seems a bit
unobservant of you.


Heavens, so it is! Yours was the first post in the thread I'd bothered to
read, my sincere apologies for the confusion. My point stands, though, this
thread is still the first time I can recall "boffin" being used outside of
a tabloid newspaper! Ian, for shame!



I must admit, I'm surprised it was used in a tabloid in recent times,
guru being both shorter and more 'trendy' or 'on trend' as the current
term is, I believe.

Perhaps you are reading one of the 'better' tabloids these days, such as
the Mail ;-)

(Sorry, I couldn't resist it. I confess I was shocked the other day when
I sat down on a sofa, thoughtfully supplied for weary husbands
accompanying their wife shopping, and reached for the supplied
newspaper, only to find it was the Daily Mail. I was not impressed.)