Hello all -- Thus far I've merely been a lurker on this list, but a recently submitted paper prompted me to share this rather trivial comment/question. A few years ago, when I was teaching a technical writing class for engineering majors, I began to notice students using the word "manufactures" as a noun in place of "manufacturers." Consider, for example, the following sentence: "Tire manufactures state the tire is worn out once it reaches this minimal tread." This use of the word drives me absolutely nuts, but it happens often enough that I'm beginning to wonder if the usage of the word has changed (or is changing), at least within the technical professions. Has anyone else noticed a similar usage? Greg Dyer To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list" Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/