I just encountered gas pluralized in an astronomy article as gasses. Referring to the *rule of adding -es to pluralize an "s" word, it doesn't look right to me. I would use gases. And then why, among all the -as[s] nouns is gas the only one spelled with one "s"? Bass, lass, mass, pass...gas?

Well, as in everything else to do with the English language, perhaps the question you should be asking is "why not?", Juan.

And why limit your inquiry to -as words? Buses always looks funny to me as the plural of bus.

And the plural of As is Æsir.

I've seen both gasses and busses, and Atomica said both versions (double or single s) are OK. Remember that there's a difference between American and British useage in words like travelling, too. I personally think it looks naked without double the L.

I personally think it looks naked without double the L.
Nope, nope, nope. With two l's, I want to say it as "trav-ell-ell-ell-ing"...
Hmm--if I had started that sentence with, "With two ells, I want to say it", would you all have understood me? (Uh oh, there she goes thinkin' again--always a dangerous activity.)

Dear WO'N: Rules were made to be broken. My dictionary gives both: With only one "s" it would have long "a", so I like the two esses.
gas
n.,
pl. gas[es or gas[ses 7gas4iz8 5ModL, altered by Van Helmont (1577-1644), Belgian chemist (with g3 pronounced, as in Du, as a voiced fricative) < Gr chaos, air (see CHAOS), term used by Paracelsus6
1 the fluid form of a substance in which it can expand indefinitely and completely fill its container; form that is neither liquid nor solid; vapor
2 any mixture of flammable gases used for lighting, heating, or cooking
3 any gas, as nitrous oxide, used as an anesthetic
4 any substance, as phosgene, intentionally dispersed through the atmosphere, as in war, to act as a poison, irritant, or asphyxiant
5 various gaseous substances formed by living or decaying matter, esp. if formed in the stomach, bowels, etc.
6 [Colloq.] short for GASOLINE
>7 [Slang] a) idle or boastful talk b) something or someone that is very pleasing, exciting, amusing, etc. !the movie was a gas"
8 Mining a mixture of firedamp with air, that explodes if ignited
vt.
gassed, gas4sing
1 to supply with gas
2 to subject to the action of gas
3 to injure or kill by gas, as in war
>4 [Slang] to thrill, delight, amuse greatly, etc.
vi.
1 to give off gas
>2 [Slang] to talk in an idle or boastful way
adj.
of, using, or operated by gas
>gas it up [Colloq.] to supply (a vehicle) with gasoline
>step on the gas
1 [Slang] to press on the accelerator of an automobile
2 to hurry; move or act faster

With two l's, I want to say it as "trav-ell-ell-ell-ing"...

Or, equally, with one L, I want to skip over pronouncing it, it seems so weak there all alone!

Depends on just how much distance from the subject you want to keep.

When I was a little kid, my brothers and I were the objects of kissing from our two aunts, who were always trying to get in an equal number of kisses. Just another example of forced bussing to achieve auntequation.

Three in one. A real gem, TEd.

I am aware of how dangerous it is to offer grammatical and spelling rules to make a point--usually responded to by a huge listing of exceptions. Nevertheless, I have been guided reasonably well thoughout my adult life by the following rule on doubling of consonants

Two-syllable words:
ED = If the stress is on the first syllable, the word only gets one consonant + ED.
ING = If the stress is on the first syllable, the word only gets one consonant + ING.

Examples:
visit > visited, open > opened
happen > happening, enter > entering
travel > traveling (I added this example)

ED = If the stress is on the second syllable, the word gets a double consonant + ED.
ING = If the stress is on the second syllable, the word gets a double consonant + ING.
Examples:
refer > referred, admit > admitted
begin > beginning, permit > permitting

>Nevertheless, I have been guided reasonably well thoughout my adult life by the following rule on doubling of consonants

US orthography - this Zilder is travelling with his Commonwealth cousin in Newfoundland on this issue.

Commonwealth cousin - traveling

Oh gawd, this is hideous, not only am I publicly stating my Commonwealth involvement (vive le Republic), but I'm agreeing with a Zilder in the same breath. Don't feel like chopped liver Bean, I agree with my Newfie friend too, but that's not hideous!! Sheesh! What is the world coming to??

Hello everyone.