Is aeroplane still the standard usage in UK fiction or is airplane becoming acceptable? I know airplane is standard in Canada and the US.
Is aeroplane still the standard usage in UK fiction or is airplane becoming acceptable? I know airplane is standard in Canada and the US.
Thank you for the replies. I read through a few British aviation (fiction) books and, except for the odd one, aeroplane appears to be the standard.
According to the New Oxford Dictionary for Writers and Editors, aeroplane is British, airplane is American, and aircraft is often used instead to avoid the confusion.
I'd say 'yes' but then I'm a tad old-fashioned :)
In modern-ish conversation it'd probably be 'plane but personally I wouldn't use such a contraction in narrative. Lots of writers would, though.