P.R. Mantis Dictionary

ANTENNAE and the Plurals of Latin Words

Why does this say “antennae” – with an “e” at the end for a plural? It’s another Latin thing. When a word in Latin ends in an “a.” “Antenna” comes from a Latin root and is supposed to be “antennae” for the plural. And there are two ways to pronounce it, depending on when you learned Latin – in the olds days like me you’d have learned to say “antenn-eye,” now people learn to say, “antenn-ee.” Of course, it is the new Millennium, and this is the Land of the Free, so most people will accept “antennas,” as the common, English plural! You can say it however you want to as long as people understand what you are saying!

 


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