Jeff wrote:

On 28/07/2017 11:28, Brian Morrison wrote:
On Thu, 27 Jul 2017 19:15:37 +0100
Roger Hayter wrote:

Whether antennae was ever used in the USA
I don't know, and would be interested in comments.

With a few exceptions (summa cum laude etc.) the US is not keen on
Latin spellings so I suspect not.

In the UK, since the end of WWII, the use of antennae for radio related
radiating objects is negligible, I have been reading the professional
literature for nearly 40 years and antennas is the word used without
exception both UK and US plus the rest of the world.


Indeed, and pre-war the UK usage was 'aerial' not antenna.

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.


--

Roger Hayter