English Language - what "Does your head in" ??

[drossall]

It's an odd way of writing it though. Do they mean that an agendum is one agenda in the same sense that a bicycle is one bicycles? Not really standard English

Or do they mean something else?

[Audax67]

It no longer matters. Once the majority either adopt it or CBA which it is, it's halfway to becoming standard English.

[Mick F]

Let's keep it simple eh?

Plurals have an S on the end.
Apple ... Apples
Dog ... Dogs
Bicycle ... Bicycles
Frog ... Frogs
Beer .... Beers

Agendum .... Agendums.

Simple, innit.

[Paulatic]

Not always an S
Mouse mice
Child children
Woman women
Man men
and many more.

[drossall]

Sheep sheep

[sjs]

Posher kinds of animals, especially when spoken of by posher kinds of people, often lose their plural s. "Oh Giles, let's go and bag some snipe".

[DaveReading]

Let's keep it simple eh?

Plurals have an S on the end.
Apple ... Apples
Dog ... Dogs
Bicycle ... Bicycles
Frog ... Frogs
Beer .... Beers

Agendum .... Agendums.

Simple, innit.

Yes, English is a simple language.

Except when it isn't.

[Audax67]

Let's keep it simple eh?

Plurals have an S on the end.
Apple ... Apples
Dog ... Dogs
Bicycle ... Bicycles
Frog ... Frogs
Beer .... Beers

Agendum .... Agendums.

Simple, innit.

How many childs have you got, Mick?

[Audax67]

Posher kinds of animals, especially when spoken of by posher kinds of people, often lose their plural s. "Oh Giles, let's go and bag some snipe".

Or hunt some orc, as one Aragorn son of Arathorn never said until Hollywood sank its vile gnashers.

But dropping the -s isn't really confined to the posh; a backwoods slaughterophile might well proclaim "Ah'm a-gonna get me some moose" as he took his assault rifle down from the wall with loving care.

[Jdsk]

Posher kinds of animals, especially when spoken of by posher kinds of people, often lose their plural s. "Oh Giles, let's go and bag some snipe".

Or hunt some orc, as one Aragorn son of Arathorn never said until Hollywood sank its vile gnashers.

But dropping the -s isn't really confined to the posh; a backwoods slaughterophile might well proclaim "Ah'm a-gonna get me some moose" as he took his assault rifle down from the wall with loving care.

Any examples of the same that aren't related to hunting or eating?

Jonathan

[DaveReading]

Any examples of the same that aren't related to hunting or eating?

Jonathan

Useless fact: in Italian, the word for "a few" (qualche) is always followed by the singular.

[Audax67]

Posher kinds of animals, especially when spoken of by posher kinds of people, often lose their plural s. "Oh Giles, let's go and bag some snipe".

Or hunt some orc, as one Aragorn son of Arathorn never said until Hollywood sank its vile gnashers.

But dropping the -s isn't really confined to the posh; a backwoods slaughterophile might well proclaim "Ah'm a-gonna get me some moose" as he took his assault rifle down from the wall with loving care.

Any examples of the same that aren't related to hunting or eating?

Jonathan

Cannon
Tail, ass (saving your presence)
Horse as in regiment of
...

[thirdcrank]

The other one I was thinking about today, was "agenda". It was being said on R4 this afternoon with a politician chappy.

When I went to meetings ......... and chaired them many many times ............ was we discussed the agendum.

Looking it up earlier due to R4, the modern stuff is "agenda" as the singular, and "agendums" as the plural! :shock: :shock: :shock:

Even the spell-checker on my Mac doesn't like "agendums".

The thread is about "English language."

I cannot understand how this has moved to discussing the gerundive, which might be more appropriate under the diary of N Molesworth beginning Evry fule kno...

[colin54]

I heard a good bit of language mangling today on Talksport radio - 'More grist to their elbow', merging about three different sayings in one.
'Tummy' when used by a GP to an adult also grates with me.

[Bmblbzzz]

"Agendum" might be taken from a Latin gerundive, but it's a noun in English. As is "agenda".