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<DIV>In the current issue (Dec. 2000) issue of _<EM>National
Geographic_</EM>, on p. 90, Garrison Keillor gives us this sentence:
"Beyond the windbreak was a couple hundred acres of corn."</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I'm one of those who uses 'couple' just as you do 'dozen': a dozen eggs, a
couple eggs, but do recognize that certain people regard it as riseable. I'm
using it here in the sense 'exactly two'.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>'A couple hundred acres', though, means 'approximately two hundred'.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The objection, for those who have objections, is the dropping of 'of', they
insisting it be 'a couple of', or more casually, 'a coupla'.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>My own view is you have to explain why it's not a dozen
of eggs before you can object to a couple eggs.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Comments?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Mark.</DIV></BODY></HTML>