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Since a "list" is a form of a collection consisting of multiple entries, a "parts" list makes perfect sense and is quite grammatical. Where you might have encountered a "rule" of "unpluralizability" of an attributive noun, I have no idea.
Other examples that spring to mind might be "decisions matrix," or "antiques collection."
As for "sardines sandwich"--there is another rule which preempts, in that we avoid extremely awkward constructions. Two abutting sibilants, as here, would be very difficult to pronounce so that both words are distinct. The same thing is involved in determining the use of "a" or "an," for instance.
Obviously, in everyday speech these sorts of things are often most honored in their breach--so we hear "decision matrix" or "antique collection" quite often.
All IMHO, of course.
David
-----Original Message from <nosnivel -at- netvision -dot- net -dot- il>-----
About the only rule I'm accustomed to seeing broken for
good cause is the unpluralizability of the attributive
noun. We would never speak of a "sardines sandwich" but
in technical writing we speak all the time of "parts lists"
and such.
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