diff --git a/language/variables.xml b/language/variables.xml
index a714394eb1..d8f5705209 100644
--- a/language/variables.xml
+++ b/language/variables.xml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="iso-8859-1"?>
-<!-- $Revision: 1.56 $ -->
+<!-- $Revision: 1.57 $ -->
  <chapter id="language.variables">
   <title>Variables</title>
   
@@ -138,6 +138,22 @@ AC
      </programlisting>
     </example>
    </para>
+   <para>
+    Note that you cannot decrement a string, only increment it.
+    <example>
+     <title>Arithmetric Operations on Character Variables (example 2)</title>
+     <programlisting role="php">
+<![CDATA[
+<?php
+$x = 'a';
+
+$x++; //$x now equals 'b'
+$x--; //this doesn't work, $x still equals 'b'
+?>
+]]>
+     </programlisting>
+    </example>
+   </para>     
   </sect1>
 
   <sect1 id="language.variables.predefined">