Charlene Charette wrote:
> Andrew H. Carter wrote:
> > On Tue, 14 Dec 2004 21:06:04 -0600, "jmcquown"
> > > scribbled some thoughts:
> >
> >
> >
> >>ea. isn't a contraction, it's an abbreviation for "each". As a
netcop, I
> >>figured you warranted a warning
> >
> >
> >
> > Technically: yes, loosely: no, a contraction is the
> > shortening of a word by omission of a sound "ch" or letter.
> >
>
> Then it would be spelled "ea'". :-)
>
> --Charlene


OK, you guys--here are a couple of references for you so we can get off
the language kick for a minute:

http://www.angelfire.com/hi/diddlev/luaurecipes.html

http://www.masterstech-home.com/The_...omThe50s3.html

Note that here, and indeed all over the Web, "ea" is spelled without a
period. If, therefore, it had happened to have some other meaning than
"each"--which I had thought--then it was reasonable to suppose it might
be a contraction, not an abbreviation.

[takes deep breath]

It makes sense to me that the "ea" is put in to various recipe programs
to fill a blank space. But I'm afraid that I am unconvinced that it is
necessary otherwise to say "10 ea potatoes" when you mean "10
potatoes."

Dog