[!CrackMonkey!] A personal message from Cleo just for you!

[mike dillon (Agent Orange Dick)]

begin Mister Bad quotation:
> You, Mr. Dillon, will need to back that one up.
>
> The plural of the English word "agendum" is "agenda." Putting together
> a bunch of groups of agenda will not give you "agendas" or "agendae",
> but just more "agenda."

With the resources at my disposal, I can only use the paltry
Merriam-Webster Dictionary (abridged) to do it:

Main Entry: agen-da
Pronunciation: &-'jen-d&
Function: noun
Etymology: Latin, neuter plural of agendum, gerundive of agere
Date: 1871
1 : a list or outline of things to be considered or done <agendas of
    faculty meetings>
2 : an underlying often ideological plan or program <a political agenda>

Main Entry: agen-dum
Pronunciation: -d&m
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural agen-da /-d&/; or -dums
Etymology: Latin
Date: circa 1847
1 : [see] AGENDA
2 : an item on an agenda

Notice the sample phrases for "agenda", which say "agendas" and "a[n]
... agenda". Also, notice that definition 2 of "agendum" says "on _an_
agenda". If I had a copy of the OED, I could give examples that have
actually been published, but I don't.

Perhaps I should do some statistical analysis of the Brown corpora or
something...

> Your agenda and my agenda put together make "our agenda."

That's true, but only because the meaning of "an agenda" refers to a
group, which can be combined with another group to make a different,
still singular group.

> That said, "agenda" _is_ a singular noun in English, but not in the
> sense you were using it. It's the name for a datebook or personal
> calendar, and as such should be pluralized as "agendas," as in, "Bob
> and Caroline were so astounded that the red leather agendas they
> carried were completely identical that they proceeded to have
> passionate sex on the conference table."

That is simply an extension of the "a list of things to be done"
meaning; i.e. "a book for holding agendas".

-md