Index: modules/node/node.module
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvs/drupal/drupal/modules/node/node.module,v
retrieving revision 1.941
diff -u -r1.941 node.module
--- modules/node/node.module	10 Jan 2008 15:57:10 -0000	1.941
+++ modules/node/node.module	11 Jan 2008 11:13:10 -0000
@@ -781,7 +781,8 @@
 
   // Make sure the body has the minimum number of words.
   // todo use a better word counting algorithm that will work in other languages
-  if (!empty($type->min_word_count) && isset($node->body) && count(explode(' ', $node->body)) < $type->min_word_count) {
+  $count = count(preg_split("/\s+/", $node->body));
+  if (!empty($type->min_word_count) && isset($node->body) && $count < $type->min_word_count) {
     form_set_error('body', t('The body of your @type is too short. You need at least %words words.', array('%words' => $type->min_word_count, '@type' => $type->name)));
   }