When did ignorance overcome education, for the correct plural is, "antennae"?
 

In message , AndyW
writes
On 20/05/2016 13:50, Roger Hayter wrote:
AndyW wrote:


Bottom line: English evolves constantly and Antennas and Antennae are
both correct but one is in the ascendancy and the other is on the wane.
Neither can be said to be the correct one and neither can be said to be
wrong.

Andy
I would like to endorse that last sentence! In the UK both are
acceptable, and the time when we could dictate what is 'correct' to the
rest of the English-speaking world is long past.

If we want a 'correct' usage then we need an English equivalent of the
Academie Francais.

Andy

Heaven forbid!

However, the plural 'antennae' is no more correct than the pretentious
'referenda', 'musea', 'stadia', 'fora' etc - all words we have borrowed
from Latin, but now we use in a way that an ancient Roman would respond
to with a "Quid est?".
--
Ian

When did ignorance overcome education, for the correct plural is, "antennae"?
 

AndyW wrote:

On 20/05/2016 13:50, Roger Hayter wrote:
AndyW wrote:


Bottom line: English evolves constantly and Antennas and Antennae are
both correct but one is in the ascendancy and the other is on the wane.
Neither can be said to be the correct one and neither can be said to be
wrong.

Andy
I would like to endorse that last sentence! In the UK both are
acceptable, and the time when we could dictate what is 'correct' to the
rest of the English-speaking world is long past.

If we want a 'correct' usage then we need an English equivalent of the
Academie Francais.

Andy

Absolutely. But what I was getting at here is that, while both are
acceptable in the UK, I believe the Americans who tell us that
"antennae" for radio aerials is plain wrong in the US.



--

Roger Hayter

When did ignorance overcome education, for the correct plural is, "antennae"?
 

Roger Hayter wrote:

AndyW wrote:

On 20/05/2016 13:50, Roger Hayter wrote:
AndyW wrote:


Bottom line: English evolves constantly and Antennas and Antennae are
both correct but one is in the ascendancy and the other is on the wane.
Neither can be said to be the correct one and neither can be said to be
wrong.

Andy
I would like to endorse that last sentence! In the UK both are
acceptable, and the time when we could dictate what is 'correct' to the
rest of the English-speaking world is long past.

If we want a 'correct' usage then we need an English equivalent of the
Academie Francais.

Andy

Absolutely. But what I was getting at here is that, while both are
acceptable in the UK, I believe the Americans who tell us that
"antennae" for radio aerials is plain wrong in the US.

PS someone correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't "antenna" the ordinary
peoples' word for a satellite or television aerial in America? Whereas
everyone except radio specialists uses 'aerial' in the UK. If so it is
not surprising that there is a much more established plural usage in the
US.



--

Roger Hayter

When did ignorance overcome education, for the correct plural is, "antennae"?
 

Roger Hayter wrote:
Roger Hayter wrote:

AndyW wrote:

On 20/05/2016 13:50, Roger Hayter wrote:
AndyW wrote:


Bottom line: English evolves constantly and Antennas and Antennae are
both correct but one is in the ascendancy and the other is on the wane.
Neither can be said to be the correct one and neither can be said to be
wrong.

Andy
I would like to endorse that last sentence! In the UK both are
acceptable, and the time when we could dictate what is 'correct' to the
rest of the English-speaking world is long past.

If we want a 'correct' usage then we need an English equivalent of the
Academie Francais.

Andy

Absolutely. But what I was getting at here is that, while both are
acceptable in the UK, I believe the Americans who tell us that
"antennae" for radio aerials is plain wrong in the US.

PS someone correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't "antenna" the ordinary
peoples' word for a satellite or television aerial in America? Whereas
everyone except radio specialists uses 'aerial' in the UK. If so it is
not surprising that there is a much more established plural usage in the
US.

In the US satellite antennas are called a dish and everything else is
an antenna.

I have never heard an American use the word "aerial" in reference to
an antenna.

Also, the thing in the front of a car is a hood, and the thing in the
back is the trunk and the round things, whose color is black, are tires
and the steering wheel is always on the left side.


--
Jim Pennino

When did ignorance overcome education, for the correct plural is,"antennae"?
 

On 5/23/2016 1:17 PM, wrote:

I have never heard an American use the word "aerial" in reference to
an antenna.

I have heard the antenna referred to as an aerial many times. That is
not unique to the UK.

--

Rick C

When did ignorance overcome education, for the correct plural is, "antennae"?
 

rickman wrote:
On 5/23/2016 1:17 PM, wrote:

I have never heard an American use the word "aerial" in reference to
an antenna.

I have heard the antenna referred to as an aerial many times.

Good for you.

--
Jim Pennino

When did ignorance overcome education, for the correct plural is, "antennae"?
 

wrote:

Roger Hayter wrote:
Roger Hayter wrote:

AndyW wrote:

On 20/05/2016 13:50, Roger Hayter wrote:
AndyW wrote:


Bottom line: English evolves constantly and Antennas and Antennae
are both correct but one is in the ascendancy and the other is on
the wane. Neither can be said to be the correct one and neither
can be said to be wrong.

Andy
I would like to endorse that last sentence! In the UK both are
acceptable, and the time when we could dictate what is 'correct' to the
rest of the English-speaking world is long past.

If we want a 'correct' usage then we need an English equivalent of the
Academie Francais.

Andy

Absolutely. But what I was getting at here is that, while both are
acceptable in the UK, I believe the Americans who tell us that
"antennae" for radio aerials is plain wrong in the US.

PS someone correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't "antenna" the ordinary
peoples' word for a satellite or television aerial in America? Whereas
everyone except radio specialists uses 'aerial' in the UK. If so it is
not surprising that there is a much more established plural usage in the
US.

In the US satellite antennas are called a dish and everything else is
an antenna.

I have never heard an American use the word "aerial" in reference to
an antenna.

Also, the thing in the front of a car is a hood, and the thing in the
back is the trunk and the round things, whose color is black, are tires
and the steering wheel is always on the left side.


Well, ok, that's more or less what I said; the languages are
different. "Antennae" is an option in the UK, it apparently isn't in
the US. We are in violent agreement!
--

Roger Hayter

When did ignorance overcome education, for the correct plural is, "antennae"?
 

Roger Hayter wrote:
wrote:

Roger Hayter wrote:
Roger Hayter wrote:

AndyW wrote:

On 20/05/2016 13:50, Roger Hayter wrote:
AndyW wrote:


Bottom line: English evolves constantly and Antennas and Antennae
are both correct but one is in the ascendancy and the other is on
the wane. Neither can be said to be the correct one and neither
can be said to be wrong.

Andy
I would like to endorse that last sentence! In the UK both are
acceptable, and the time when we could dictate what is 'correct' to the
rest of the English-speaking world is long past.

If we want a 'correct' usage then we need an English equivalent of the
Academie Francais.

Andy

Absolutely. But what I was getting at here is that, while both are
acceptable in the UK, I believe the Americans who tell us that
"antennae" for radio aerials is plain wrong in the US.

PS someone correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't "antenna" the ordinary
peoples' word for a satellite or television aerial in America? Whereas
everyone except radio specialists uses 'aerial' in the UK. If so it is
not surprising that there is a much more established plural usage in the
US.

In the US satellite antennas are called a dish and everything else is
an antenna.

I have never heard an American use the word "aerial" in reference to
an antenna.

Also, the thing in the front of a car is a hood, and the thing in the
back is the trunk and the round things, whose color is black, are tires
and the steering wheel is always on the left side.


Well, ok, that's more or less what I said; the languages are
different. "Antennae" is an option in the UK, it apparently isn't in
the US. We are in violent agreement!

When I first started watching UK TV shows on Netflix and Acorn, I spent
a lot of time looking up the UK meaning of things to understand what
the hell the characters were talking about.

Things like:

jumble - yard sale or rummage sale
biscuit - cookie
caravan - trailer
porkies - lies
nick - arrest
and my favorite, toe-rag.

Yes, the languages ARE different.


--
Jim Pennino

When did ignorance overcome education, for the correct plural is, "antennae"?
 

In message ,
writes



I have never heard an American use the word "aerial" in reference to
an antenna.

As I'm sure I've said before in this NG, on YouTube there's a Laurel and
Hardy movie from around 1930, where they are making a complete hash of
erecting a wire radio 'aerial' (said quite distinctly). I suppose it is
just possible that that part of the dialog(ue) was dubbed-in for the
overseas market - but I doubt it. Also, in American magazines and
newspapers of the 1920s, in adverts for radio sets etc there is the very
occasional use of word 'aerial'.






--
Ian

When did ignorance overcome education, for the correct plural is, "antennae"?
 

In message , Roger Hayter
writes
wrote:

Roger Hayter wrote:
Roger Hayter wrote:

AndyW wrote:

On 20/05/2016 13:50, Roger Hayter wrote:
AndyW wrote:


Bottom line: English evolves constantly and Antennas and Antennae
are both correct but one is in the ascendancy and the other is on
the wane. Neither can be said to be the correct one and neither
can be said to be wrong.

Andy
I would like to endorse that last sentence! In the UK both are
acceptable, and the time when we could dictate what is
'correct' to the
rest of the English-speaking world is long past.

If we want a 'correct' usage then we need an English equivalent of the
Academie Francais.

Andy

Absolutely. But what I was getting at here is that, while both are
acceptable in the UK, I believe the Americans who tell us that
"antennae" for radio aerials is plain wrong in the US.

PS someone correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't "antenna" the ordinary
peoples' word for a satellite or television aerial in America? Whereas
everyone except radio specialists uses 'aerial' in the UK. If so it is
not surprising that there is a much more established plural usage in the
US.

In the US satellite antennas are called a dish and everything else is
an antenna.

I have never heard an American use the word "aerial" in reference to
an antenna.

Also, the thing in the front of a car is a hood, and the thing in the
back is the trunk and the round things, whose color is black, are tires
and the steering wheel is always on the left side.


Well, ok, that's more or less what I said; the languages are
different. "Antennae" is an option in the UK, it apparently isn't in
the US. We are in violent agreement!

In the UK, when referring to an RF antennas, the use of 'antenna' and
'antennas' would not be all that remarkable in the engineering world.
However, these days 'antennae' certainly would be unusual. Nevertheless,
'aerial' is certainly still in fashion. In the domestic world, 'antenna'
would not be used.

--
Ian