Python language code

gistfile1.py

def english_count(count, object = None, plural = None):
    """
        Generate an English representation of the count of objects. Plural defaults to object + 's' or object[:-1] + 'ies' for objects ending in 'y'.
        
        Examples:
        
        In [2]: english_count(0, 'hat')
        Out[2]: 'no hats'
        
        In [4]: english_count(1, 'hat')
        Out[4]: '1 hat'
        
        In [5]: english_count(3, 'pastry')
        Out[5]: '3 pastries'
        
        In [2]: english_count(4, 'knife', 'knives')
        Out[2]: '4 knives'
    """
    
    text = 'no' if count == 0 else str(count)
    
    if object is not None:
        if plural is None:
            if object[-1] == 'y':
                plural = object[:-1] + 'ies'
            else:
                plural = object + 's'
            
        text += ' ' + (object if count == 1 else plural)
    
    return text

def english_list(items, and_or = 'and'):
    """
        Generate an English representation of a list of things. Defaults to 'and' but you can also pass 'or' as the second argument.
        
        Examples:
        
        In [3]: english_list(string.uppercase)
        Out[3]: 'A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, and Z'
        
        In [4]: english_list(['A', 'B'], 'or')
        Out[4]: 'A or B'
        
        In [6]: english_list(['A'])
        Out[6]: 'A'
        
        In [7]: english_list([])
        Out[7]: ''
    """
    
    items = [str(item) for item in items]
    if len(items) < 3:
        # Handles the edgecases of zero, one, and two items ('', 'A', 'A and B' respectively)
        text = (' ' + and_or + ' ').join(items)
    else:
        separator = ', '
        
        text = separator.join(items[:-1])
        text += separator + and_or + ' ' + str(items[-1])
    
    return text