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| author | Brandon Zylstra <9854+brandonzylstra@users.noreply.github.com> | 2026-01-04 22:26:21 -0500 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | Nobuyoshi Nakada <nobu.nakada@gmail.com> | 2026-01-05 17:11:06 +0900 |
| commit | c65a5548a80f955ad71decabf0f29183fef8d6d7 (patch) | |
| tree | 69cb1f1f9c4291e07cea26f60468df6e9168eef4 /doc | |
| parent | 32674606102d21ec56635ff4b496544dd01775a6 (diff) | |
Update box.md
"Code" (when used to refer to what we create in Ruby or any other programming language) is an abstract non-count noun, so it cannot be pluralized. ("Codes" would be used when referring to specific countable things like PIN codes, which is a different use of the word "code".)
This is somewhat confusing because English allows converting count nouns into non-count nouns, and converting non-count nouns into count nouns, and because many words have both forms.
For an example of converting a non-count noun to a count noun, "water" is normally a non-count noun:
> The world is covered with water.
but people who work in restaurants often use the word as a count noun, as a shorthand for "cup of water":
> I need 7 waters on the big table by the window.
For an example of the opposite conversion, "worm" is normally a count noun:
> There are lots of worms in the puddle.
but someone might use it as a non-count noun when talking about non-distinct remains of worms:
> You have worm all over the bottom of your shoe!
So although a given noun can be flexible enough to be used in either way—even when it is unconventional—there is a definite change of meaning when using a word as a count noun or a non-count noun.
Diffstat (limited to 'doc')
| -rw-r--r-- | doc/language/box.md | 2 |
1 files changed, 1 insertions, 1 deletions
diff --git a/doc/language/box.md b/doc/language/box.md index 05c0dad985..8c7fd20b20 100644 --- a/doc/language/box.md +++ b/doc/language/box.md @@ -1,6 +1,6 @@ # Ruby Box - Ruby's in-process separation of Classes and Modules -Ruby Box is designed to provide separated spaces in a Ruby process, to isolate application codes, libraries and monkey patches. +Ruby Box is designed to provide separated spaces in a Ruby process, to isolate application code, libraries and monkey patches. ## Known issues |
