also here http://stdlib.rubyonrails.org/libdoc/English/rdoc/files/Engl...

Yep, if you must use the variables, much much better to use "require 'english'" and these more meaningful names than the cryptic originals.

I have a TODO in omnifocus to fold those in. It's a shame I didn't do that earlier.

I didn't realise Ruby also had this. Here's the Perl corollary:

  perldoc English
  perldoc perlvar

links: http://perldoc.perl.org/English.html | http://perldoc.perl.org/perlvar.html