grammar - How to write correctly chains of nouns with plurals like "Messages List" and "Apple Count" for IT


Especially in IT it is often neccessary to write chains of nouns like "Messages List" because one cannot use "The list of messages" for variable name in a programming language. I can't understand how to construct them correctly for plurals, ex. "Message list" or "Messages list" ? What grammar rules concern this subject?


As a maybe special case, I'm interesting in naming the number of something, ex. the number of apples. It is common to use "apple count" (altough 'count' means counting, not quantity). What is right, "apple count" or "apples count", and why?


I found a little bit similar question. Maybe both forms are allowed?



Answer



Using the plural would be odd, if not outright wrong.



  • A list of messages is a message list, not a messages list.

  • A trap for mice is a mouse trap, not a mice trap.

  • A catcher of flies is a flycatcher, not a fliescatcher.

  • Determination of types of compound nouns is compound noun type determination, not compound nouns types determination.


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