In message , Jeff writes


It seems that antenna was an import from across the pond, with its
plural as 'antennas'. I suspect that the use of antennae was the normal
reaction to a 'crass Americanism' by people who though that they knew
better.

Jeff
I suspect you're guessing. From a completely unsystematic vague
recollection of literature I would say that 'Antenna, pl. antennae' was
the scientific term in the UK in the 1920s and 1930s and 'aerial'
remained the popular (?Marconi influenced) version. Aerial remains
common usage among people not much interested in radio. Though I
suppose antenna may replace aerial in popular culture before long.
'Antennae' was therefore not a back formation, but the natural choice of
UK engineers with a classical education. I think the American influence
came later.


No, look at the pre-war literature, as someone else has done in the
Antennae NOT antennas thread.

As another example, my copy of the Admiralty Handbook of Wireless
Telegraphy 1929 does not use the term Antenna, or its plurals, anywhere
in its 547 pages.

Jeff

The 1912 ITU conference only mentions "aerial", but the French version
calls it "antenne". Plural is "antennes" bien sûr.

In Radio Telegraphy,PROC. IRE, vol. 10, pp. 215-238; August, 1922.

Marconi uses both antenna and aerial.

One example :-

"Considerable increases in efficiency have been obtained
in the aerial or antenna circuits and also in minimizing
the losses in the attendant loading coils"

He avoids the plural

Brian
--
Brian Howie