any brilliant gramaticists out there?

[FrankyGood]

when talking about plastic surgery (for example).
We say, " a nose job, lip job, eye job."
BUT WHY ISN'T IT, "eyes job, lips job."???????

[Buddhaheart]

When you use a noun as an adjective attributively, you usually form from its singular. Other examples are ‘computer (not *computers) room ’, ‘face (not *faces) job’, ‘art (not *arts) institute’. There’re of course examples like ‘communications (not *communication) course’, ‘arts (not *arts) degree & ‘savings (not *saving) account’ and they mean something else.

[Krisi]

When you use a noun as an adjective attributively, you usually form from its singular. Other examples are ‘computer (not *computers) room ’, ‘face (not *faces) job’, ‘art (not *arts) institute’. There’re of course examples like ‘communications (not *communication) course’, ‘arts (not *arts) degree & ‘savings (not *saving) account’ and they mean something else.

Thank you very very much...This is great!!! :)

[expectorsmith]

There’re of course examples like ‘communications (not *communication) course’, ‘arts (not *arts) degree & ‘savings (not *saving) account’ and they mean something else.

Then what do they really mean? What's the difference between 'communications course' and 'communication course'?

Many thanks!

[FrankyGood]

Thankyou Buddhaheart.

Your answer will help me to explain it better :D .

I realised later the nouns were being used as an adjective to describe the job, and it's only 1 job, right?

Thanks again!

[Buddhaheart]

Actually, no. The word ‘communications’ means methods of sending information; a system for sending and receiving messages, as by telephone, TV or radio, computers, or roads & railways; the art & technology of communicating. A communications (not *communication) course is such a course. A communications (not *communication) satellite is one that is used for radio and television communication (not *communications).

P.S. Please remember I’m no brilliant grammarian. I’m just a poor teacher trying to help.

[FrankyGood]

Thanks again buddhaheart.

I'm sure expectorsmith and I are not the only ones you have helped (and will help) with this.

Cheers!