At 7:57 AM 09/22/02, Dennis Bathory-Kitsz wrote: >Logically you're right. But the phrase in commerce is "brick-and-mortar >store". I've written articles regularly in retail tech trade (at least >before the tech crash!), but if you don't believe me: >http://www.knowthis.com/other/retailing.htm
There is nothing paradoxical about this. For a collective noun, there's no question of the plural. I buy hardware at a hardware store, I buy furniture at a furniture store, and so on. Thus I would expect to buy mortar at a mortar store. For a noun indiciating an individual item, the adjective in the store name becomes singular. I buy books at a book store, I buy toys at a toy store, and so on. Thus I would expect to buy bricks at a brick store. If I'm buying bricks and mortar, I would expect to buy them at a brick and mortar store. This is a basic function of English grammar. There is nothing exceptional about the "brick and mortar" situation. mdl _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
