# File lib/linguistics/en.rb, line 1125
    def plural_noun( phrase, count=nil )
        md = /\A(\s*)(.+?)(\s*)\Z/.match( phrase.to_s )
        pre, word, post = md.to_a[1,3]
        return phrase if word.nil? or word.empty?

        plural = postprocess( word, pluralize_noun(word, count) )
        return pre + plural + post
    end