[Ads-l] hypercorrect pluralization of attributives
MULLINS, WILLIAM D (Bill) CIV USARMY RDECOM AMRDEC (US)
william.d.mullins18.civ at MAIL.MIL
Mon Oct 31 14:59:41 UTC 2016
>
> We'd like to hire her, but there's the two-body problem.
> (Actually, I've heard both "the two-body problem" and "the two-bodies problem" to refer to the spousal/partner hiring dilemma in
> academia, as opposed to the physics problem it's a pun on.)
>
In planetary dynamics, the "two-body" problem isn't a problem -- there exist closed-form solutions for two bodies. It's the three-body problem that is really a problem, in that it is not solvable (and is often chaotic).
Extend the parallel to partners/spouses as you see fit.
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