Brian Reay wrote:

On 27/07/2017 00:06, Roger Hayter wrote:
Brian Reay wrote:

On 26/07/2017 23:46, Roger Hayter wrote:
Custos Custodum wrote:

On Wed, 26 Jul 2017 21:16:02 +0100, Gareth's Downstairs Computer
wrote:

ITYM, "antennae"

It is "antennas" for the things connected to radios and "antennae"
for things connected to insects and arthopods even in the UK, not
just in the US, according to Collins English Dictionary.



Try a dictionary for grownups such as the OED and not one
targetted at disuptive children.

Your wish is my command. From OED3, March 2016:

antenna, n.
View as: Outline |Full entryKeywords: On |Off
Quotations: Show all |Hide all
Pronunciation: Brit. /an't?n?/, U.S. /æn't?n?/
Frequency (in current use):
Inflections: Pl. antennae, (esp. in sense 4) antennas.
Origin: A borrowing from Latin. Etymons: Latin antenna, antemna,
Italian antenna.
Etymology: classical Latin antenna, earlier antemna... (Show More)

4. A wire, rod, or other structure by which airborne radio waves are
transmitted or received, usually as part of a radio or television
transmission or receiving system; = aerial n. 3.

1902˜2013(Show quotations)

Interpreting that, it does bear out Gareth's theory that antennae is the
original plural but says that antennas is also used "especially" with
radio aerials. So the conclusion I draw is that both are correct but
that antennas is growing in popularity.


No, it confirms the converse.

You mean that antennas was original, but antennae is growing in
popularity????


Are you trying to usurp Evans as the village idiot?

Hint, there is no mention of 'growing popularity' of either- it is clear
they mean antennas is used for RF antennas.

It is really not my fault if you use the word converse when you don't
know what it means. The dictionary says that antennas is a second
variant 'especially' used for radio aerials, it certainly doesn't say it
is exclusive usage in this context. Growing popularity is from my own
observation of the literature, antennae is widely used in UK 1930s
publications.

And I do resent pompous ****s who can barely speak English calling *me*
an idiot.



--

Roger Hayter