Antennas vs Antennae
 

From Kraus' 'Antennas', first edition, footnote on page 1:

In its zoological sense, and antenna is the feeler, or organ of touch, of an
insect. According to usage in the United States the plural of "insect
antenna" is "antennae," but the plural of "radio antenna" is "antennas".
However, the usage in England makes no distinction, the plural of both
"insect" antenna" and "radio antenna" being "antennae."


************************

So for those not native to the USA or England, it depends on where your
English teaher came from, I guess.


Jim
N8EE

"Jim" wrote in message
...
From Kraus' 'Antennas', first edition, footnote on page 1:

In its zoological sense, and antenna is the feeler, or organ of touch, of
an
insect. According to usage in the United States the plural of "insect
antenna" is "antennae," but the plural of "radio antenna" is "antennas".
However, the usage in England makes no distinction, the plural of both
"insect" antenna" and "radio antenna" being "antennae."


************************

So for those not native to the USA or England, it depends on where your
English teaher came from, I guess.


Jim
N8EE

I think in England it's "aerials".
Rob

Jim wrote:
From Kraus' 'Antennas', first edition, footnote on page 1:

In its zoological sense, and antenna is the feeler, or organ of touch,
of an insect. According to usage in the United States the plural of
"insect antenna" is "antennae," but the plural of "radio antenna" is
"antennas". However, the usage in England makes no distinction, the
plural of both "insect" antenna" and "radio antenna" being "antennae."

But remember that was the *first* edition of Kraus, reflecting the usage
of a half-century ago.

At that time, the word over here was "aerial"; and also "wireless"
rather than "radio". "Antenna" was a new Americanism, and we hadn't
really decided what to do with it.

Individual preferences ruled quite strongly - and were very much
influenced by the preferences of one's former Latin master. I recall a
college friend who was determined to speak of "owdio" and "widayo",
because that's how he'd been taught to pronounce those words. "Antennae"
was just another of those Latinate plurals, but was never in wide use by
British engineers.

Today, we generally use the American terms for engineering (including
amateur radio) and save the Ancient British language for older people
and arts graduates.


--
73 from Ian G3SEK 'In Practice' columnist for RadCom (RSGB)
http://www.ifwtech.co.uk/g3sek

Often a word can be mispelled or used
in a generally unique or gramatically
incorrect manner when a tongue-in-cheek
reference is made. Hence: antennae vice
antennas. 73s and 88s W6BWY

Count your blessings if you see either one. The most grating plural of
antenna often seen on the net is "antenna's".

73--Nick, WA5BDU


Spike wrote:
Often a word can be mispelled or used
in a generally unique or gramatically
incorrect manner when a tongue-in-cheek
reference is made. Hence: antennae vice
antennas. 73s and 88s W6BWY

Nick: You are not paying attention. grin My personal favorite is
"antennaes"

73

Paul AB0SI


"Nick" wrote in message
oups.com...
Count your blessings if you see either one. The most grating plural of
antenna often seen on the net is "antenna's".

73--Nick, WA5BDU


Spike wrote:
Often a word can be mispelled or used
in a generally unique or gramatically
incorrect manner when a tongue-in-cheek
reference is made. Hence: antennae vice
antennas. 73s and 88s W6BWY

If the ARRL Handbook and other similar publications ever get
translated into Latin, antennae would be correct :-)

Omnia decum metrus solarium spottus est nihlis. Illegitimi
noncarborundum. Veni, vidi, vici contestum DXCCibus con
cannonium maximus.

W3JT


On 23 Dec 2004 10:32:10 -0800, "Nick" wrote:

Count your blessings if you see either one. The most grating plural of
antenna often seen on the net is "antenna's".

73--Nick, WA5BDU


Spike wrote:
Often a word can be mispelled or used
in a generally unique or gramatically
incorrect manner when a tongue-in-cheek
reference is made. Hence: antennae vice
antennas. 73s and 88s W6BWY

On Thu, 23 Dec 2004 17:50:04 -0500, J. Teske
wrote:
Illegitimi noncarborundum
It is Non Illegitimus Carborundum

On Thu, 23 Dec 2004 22:55:52 GMT, Richard Clark
wrote:

On Thu, 23 Dec 2004 17:50:04 -0500, J. Teske
wrote:
Illegitimi noncarborundum
It is Non Illegitimus Carborundum

Not if you have more than one *******! -us ending = singular.

"Non" refers to the verb and must be next to it, otherwise you have a
Latin equivalent of a split infinitive and we must always try to never
split infinitives. According to scholars the version you cited
(which admittedly is more often seen) came about when posters were
published years ago for comsumption by engineers and written by
engineers who should have stuck to Pig Latin...in which case it would
be:

Ontday etlay hetay astardsbay rindgay ouyay ownday. :-)

W3JT Who is pentalingual, but as you might guess none of the five is
Latin.

No it is Illegitimus non carborundum
"Richard Clark" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 23 Dec 2004 17:50:04 -0500, J. Teske
wrote:
Illegitimi noncarborundum
It is Non Illegitimus Carborundum