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I got confusion with naming lists.

What should I use when I want to say "smthng list".

Contact list or contactS list

Audition list or auditionS list

class list or classES list (class like math class or physics). I know that there is other way to say with "List of something", but I need correct 1st variant. I use it in naming variables (programming).

theroom101
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  • With your examples, use the same word in X list that you'd use with list of X. – Lawrence Feb 26 '17 at 10:47
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    The accepted answer at the duplicate question says that there are unpredictable as well as some more predictable exceptions to the 'use singular-form attributive nouns' rule of thumb. And sometimes, both possible forms are found in use. What do Google searches and Google Ngrams suggest about the choice between contact list and contacts list etc? Indeed, is either given in a reference work? – Edwin Ashworth Feb 26 '17 at 16:05

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The noun 'list' itself has a connotation of plurality. so, a 'contact list' will do instead of a 'contacts list'.

List n.

1. A series of names, words, or other items written, printed, or imagined one after the other:

a shopping list; a guest list; a list of things to do.

mahmud k pukayoor
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    On this reasoning, The noun 'doctors' has a denotation of plurality. So,'woman doctors' will do instead of 'women doctors'. But the latter is idiomatic. One has to look at actual usages in each case; the rule of thumb is that singular-form attributive nouns are by far the more common. – Edwin Ashworth Feb 26 '17 at 16:01
  • I was talking about 'list' (singular) not 'lists' (plural). Does 'doctor' (singular) have such a connotation of plurality? Your argument and my 'reasoning' do not come together, do they? But I can agree to your opinion that 'One has to look at actual usages in each case'. – mahmud k pukayoor Feb 26 '17 at 16:18
  • A classic counter-argument for a logical approach is the idiomaticity of dogs home (usually no apostrophe for the institution nowadays) but donkey sanctuary. Both the count usages 'home' and 'sanctuary' connote plural occupancy, 'home' probably more so. – Edwin Ashworth Feb 26 '17 at 23:58