> > >
> > > > Trav"it's popular among the tourists from the southern parts of Europe, so a lot of them get stolen, but you can also buy stickers etc. of these"holt
> > >
> > > I love how some non-native English speakers use "etc." after listing only one item. My foreign exchange brother from Japan does it all the time, because they have a word that gets translated that way. It cracks me up every time.
> > >
> > > gab"'This container for plastic bottles etc. only'"by
> >
> > Hm... but what's the correct thing to say? Et al?
> >
> > Trav"learns something new every day"holt.
>
> "Et al" would be the correct thing to say; however, most American English speakers do use "et cetera".
>
> What gabby is saying is the common usage of "et al" or "etc." usually follows more than one item, as in:
>
> ... The Coca-Cola Company, Pepsico, et al.
>
> (which means: ... The Coca-Cola Company, Pepsico, and others.)
>
> ... The Coca-Cola Company, Pepsico, The Dr Pepper Company, etc.
>
> (which means: ... The Coca-Cola Company, Pespico, and so forth.)
>
> -Faux "cultural differences" Pas

But sometime you see etc., et al. used together at the end of the sentence. Ignorance, I guess.

One if my favorites is "....cake, ice cream, cookies, candy, et al.
Howard
PS - Allow me to explain that "et" is a variation of "ate" in some mountainous areas of the southeastern USA. I hate to explain them before anybody asks, but this is a world wide forum.
H