Path: utzoo!mnetor!tmsoft!torsqnt!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!rpi!uupsi!pbs.org!TALOS!jerry
From: jerry@TALOS.UUCP (Jerry Gitomer)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.misc
Subject: Re: Printing plural forms.
Message-ID: <1137@TALOS.UUCP>
Date: 19 Feb 91 16:12:15 GMT
References: <1991Feb19.104810.549@ZYX.SE>
Organization: NPRI, Alexandria VA
Lines: 33

arndt@zyx.ZYX.SE (Arndt Jonasson) writes:


:We all have seen and, in various degrees, been irritated by texts such
:as:

:	1 files were copied

:when it should have been:

:	1 file was copied

:I'd like to know: when programming, how do you avoid such errors? Are
:there features in the programming language you use (or other languages
:you know) that make plural handling especially easy or difficult? Are
:there features in your native language that make plural handling
:especially difficult?

:All opinions and information are welcome (though I'm more interested
:in how people actually produce a correct text, rather than their
:excuses for not doing so). Reply to me by email, and I'll post a
:summary.

The easiest solution is to avoid the problem through
rewording your messages.  For example:

	Number of files copied = 1


-- 
Jerry Gitomer at National Political Resources Inc, Alexandria, VA USA
I am apolitical, have no resources, and speak only for myself.
Ma Bell (703)683-9090      (UUCP:  ...{uupsi,vrdxhq}!pbs!npri6!jerry