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Assume v. Presume

Black Hole said:
I don't think I have ever come across agendum used in the singular.
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If you ever saw an agenda, and it was itemized, each item is an agendum. Agenda is the Latin plural of agendum, some single thing to be done.
 
af123 said:
Cannon is one that irks me.
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As in a Cannon camera? :p

Or one of these?

can·non
(k
abreve.gif
n
prime.gif
schwa.gif
n)
n. pl. cannon or can·nons
1. A large mounted weapon that fires heavy projectiles. Cannon include guns, howitzers, and mortars.
2. The loop at the top of a bell by which it is hung.
3. A round bit for a horse.
4. Zoology The section of the lower leg in some hoofed mammals between the hock or knee and the fetlock, containing the cannon bone.
5. Chiefly British A carom made in billiards.
v. can·noned, can·non·ing, can·nons
v.tr.
1. To bombard with cannon.
2. Chiefly British To cause to carom in billiards.
v.intr.
1. To fire cannon.
2. Chiefly British To make a carom in billiards.
 
Yes, but where are you getting your dictionary from? :D

Cannon serves both as the singular and plural of the noun, although in American English the plural cannons is more common.
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Mike0001 said:
If you ever saw an agenda, and it was itemized, each item is an agendum. Agenda is the Latin plural of agendum, some single thing to be done.
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Fair enough, but not what I said. Besides, if agenda is plural, it should be "some agenda", not "an agenda".
 
In John Lewis earlier. Passed the SatNav display and a TomTom Go was in demo mode. It said something like

"You will neveragain miss an exit."
 
Black Hole said:
What??? "Crowd" and "flock" are collective nouns, and singular.

"A cacti" or "some cacti"? (Game, set, and match)
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But an agenda is correct. However, it implies that there are more than one agendum items, otherwise you would say an agendum. Who would refer to a list if there were only one item on that list?
 
dictionary.com said:
a·gen·da
noun formally a plural of , agendum but usually used as a singular with plural , a·gen·das or a·gen·da.
a list, plan, outline, or the like, of things to be done, matters to be acted or voted upon, etc.: The chairman says we have a lengthy agenda this afternoon.
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So 'usually', as it's a list which is singular, it's 'an agenda'
 
Trev said:
So 'usually', as it's a list which is singular, it's 'an agenda'
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Completely agree, but remember that this started because Mike0001 objected to a reporter saying something like "Following an agenda".

Mike0001 said:
Following an agenda? Meaning, having a single aim or purpose? Should be following an agendum.
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I don't see how that phrase implies a single aim. If agenda can be used as a singular (which it can in modern usage) then the subject is just following his own path, and if you're saying he's using agenda in the singular because of the preceding an then BH is entirely correct in saying it should be either an agendum or some agenda.
 
af123 said:
Completely agree, but remember that this started because Mike0001 objected to a reporter saying something like "Following an agenda".



I don't see how that phrase implies a single aim. If agenda can be used as a singular (which it can in modern usage) then the subject is just following his own path, and if you're saying he's using agenda in the singular because of the preceding an then BH is entirely correct in saying it should be either an agendum or some agenda.
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Because the single agendum was explained in the news report! Can't even remember what it was now, but it was just saying the person had this single aim.

Trev said:
a list, plan, outline, or the like, of things to be done, matters to be acted or voted upon, etc.: The chairman says we have a lengthy agenda this afternoon.
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So, my point is, if there is only one thing to be done or matter to act or vote upon, it's an agendum.
 
Wow - what a lot of data usage BT are offering with their broadband these days...

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1379614690.704110.jpg


Posted on the move; please excuse any brevity.
 
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