On Sun, 24 Jan 2016 20:02:10 +0000, "Richard J."
wrote:

My Collins dictionary includes the use of 'alternate' to mean
'alternative' as one of the ten meanings of 'alternate', and it doesn't
mark it as only applying to American English. It was published in 1984.
I think you've missed the boat on this one.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary has the alternative meaning
listed as "especially North American English".

http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/de...rner/alternate

--
jhk