British aviation terminology

Don,

I general usage, propellor is more common here. Airscrew is more of a technical term but is certainly still in use. Airplane is still regarded as American usage and aeroplane is more common. Most people would probably shorten it to plane. Aircraft is less widely used than aeroplane but I'd guess that it's more common than airplane.

I prefer it that way but I can't speak for anyone else.

Gordon McLaughlin

Definitely aeroplane rather than airplane (airplane is never used).

Airscrew is still used but quite technical (probably limited to those in the trade). The average person on the street will call it a propeller.

Cheers,

Nigel

aeroplane: noun a powered machine used for travelling in the air, that is heavier than air and supported in its flight by fixed wings. ETYMOLOGY: 19c: French.

airplane: noun, (N Amer) an aeroplane.

yep, i have an early psychedelic furs record. it says aeroplane while on the american lp version, it says airplane.

"Nigel Heather the-heathers.co.uk>" Definitely aeroplane rather than airplane (airplane is never used).

I wish, Nigel. The popular press use "airplane" all the the time, or worse still, "jet", even when it isn't!! Don't get me started on the Americanisation (note, "s" not "z"!) of English.

"meet with", instead of "meet", or "see"

Monday thru Friday

"off limits" instead of "out of bounds",> et al

Regards

Pat Macguire

>

By "popular press", Syke really means "gutter press"! ;-)

They also tend to use "chopper" - or even worse "copter" - when they mean "helicopter". "Copter" is *never* heard elsewhere.

But thankfully no one ever uses the dreadful "helo".

Can't say I've seen the use of the word 'Airplane' used much in the UK - except for the Leslie Nielsen films (movies).

Sometimes I think the Americans have the right words or spelling and sometimes the english.

But my favourite proof that the yanks get it wrong sometimes is ....

UK >> LASER = Light Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation

US >> LAZER = Light Amplification by the Ztimulated Emission of Radiation

Cheers,

Nigel

  "Nigel Heather Can't say I've seen the use of the word 'Airplane' used much in the UK - except for the Leslie Nielsen films (movies). Sometimes I think the Americans have the right words or spelling and sometimes the english. But my favourite proof that the yanks get it wrong sometimes is .... UK >> LASER = Light Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation US >> LAZER = Light Amplification by the Ztimulated Emission of Radiation Cheers,   I don't know where you get your American English, but where I get mine it's "laser," with an "s." Were you too lasy to look it up? ;-) BobbyG    

Actually the literate in the US use laser, common enough that it's now a word not an acronym. Lazer is usually some marketing dipshit trying to be cool for labelling.

Nigel Heather Can't say I've seen the use of the word 'Airplane' used much in the UK -

...on my airfield we use "helo" all the time.

Actually that's not quite true; I always see it spelled laser (not capitalized, generally) here in the 'states as well. Can't speak for the knuckle-draggers and/or mouth-breathers..... grins (all in good fun)

---Stephen

I figured as much since none of the magazines use those terms.

Bill Banaszak, MFE Sr.

"Nigel Heather

Most people on the street haven't a clue as to what Laser means. It's one of those terms used on sci-fi shows. ;)

Bill Banaszak, MFE Sr.

Nigel Heather Can't say I've seen the use of the word 'Airplane' used much in the UK -

My (very American) dictionary doesn't even have "lazer" in it.

I'd think "lazer" is a misspelling, not an Americanism - though I suppose it might demonstrate that there's a subset of Americans who can't spell.

But, I 'spect that's true of a subset of Pommies as well.

Cheers,

I'm not sure how you define "gutter press" but...

Guardian, March 7th:

Guardian. February 10th:

(...) of a lion. Further evidence is her intention to leap from an airplane to raise funds for research into a cure for Huntington's, a (...)

A SEARCH was under way last night for a twin-engine airplane that went missing yesterday in the west Highlands. The pilot...disappeared from the radar near Loch Broom. The Highland Airways airplane was on a return flight from Stornoway to Inverness. A mountain...

Gillian Harris

23 October 2004 The Times

Survivors of an Indonesian airplane crash at Jogyakarta on Java that killed

22 people said today that...came hurtling into the runway at a much greater speed than an airplane would normally land at. "They themselves thought the...

Elsa McLaren

07 March 2007 Times Online

from Korean Airlines in a deal worth $5.5 billion (£2.9 billion) at list prices and the largest commercial airplane commitment in Korean history. Military establishments are to be equipped solely with non-charging systems that could save...

22 November 2006 The Times

One chore for the tourism chief will be continually explaining that, no, contrary to stubbornly embedded legend, the little black and white fellows do not fall over backwards when an airplane flies overhead. Other recurrent concerns will include the large number of landmines left over from the war, and checking to see that not too many young single Argentinian men seem anxious to visit all at the same time.

Independent, January, 18th

I could go on...

Pat Macguire

Ohhhhh yes! The Grauniad is gutter press alright! :-D Not quite as bad as the Scum or the Mirror, I'll grant you, but they're down there in the gutter with the rest of 'em.

PaPaPeng wrote

Only if you use MS Word... lots of better options available, some for free.

Rob

Well, as an Englishman, in England, speaking English, I'd use aeroplane on the basis that aero- is the prefix for things relating to the air.

For example:

Aerodrome or air-drome? Aeronautics or air-nautics? Aerosmith or Jefferson Airplane? Airport? Airship?

Oh dear...

I don't think we should be so precious about it. English is such a strong language BECAUSE it's so adaptable. Everyone knows what a laser/lazer is, the same way they know what a aeroplane/airplane is!

No-one can own a language (look at the problems the French have trying to keep their language pristine and unsullied), and if the colonies want to adapt it and grow their own versions, good for them I say.

English is the new lingua franca!

G