counting empty items

[rand valentine]

 If I do this:

set the itemDelimiter to tab
put the number of items of tab & tab & tab & tab

 1 is returned.

why not 4? I don't get it.

 -- if I do this:

set the itemDelimiter to tab
put empty into item 4 of testVariable
put the number of items of testVariable

 3 is returned.

why?

rand valentine