The forgotten S.

Cow eats grass.

Cows eat grass.

In English, the verb that follows a singular noun must have an s at the end of the verb. Its that simple. Well not as simple as Bahasa Melayu though.

In Malay, the verb never changes. Be it singular or plural, the verb stays as it is.

Lembu makan rumput.

Lembu-lembu makan rumput.

See how simple Malay is?

Dodo

noun (pl. -os or -oes) a large extinct flightless bird with a stout body, stumpy wings, a large head, and a heavy hooked bill. It was found on Mauritius until the end of the 17th century.

Phrases:

(as) dead as a dodo
informal - used to emphasize that a person or animal is no longer alive.
- no longer effective, valid, or interesting.

To learn more about Dodo, visit this link.

Temerity

noun[mass noun] - excessive confidence or boldness

Taken from BBC Sport:
e.g. Paulo Ferreira levels the scores after League One Colchester had the temerity to take the lead against Chelsea.

Noun, pronoun or verb?

In the name of Allah, the most gracious, the most merciful,

• noun - a word (other than a pronoun) used to identify any of a class of people, places, or things.
  Example: Book, Cat.
  

• pronoun - a word that can function as a noun phrase used by itself and that refers either to the participants in the discourse (e.g. I, you) or to someone or something mentioned elsewhere in the discourse (e.g. she, it, this)
  
  
• verb - a word that can function as a noun phrase used by itself and that refers either to the participants in the discourse (e.g. I, you) or to someone or something mentioned elsewhere in the discourse (e.g. she, it, this).
  

Wallahualam.

Selembu.

Taken from The Star Online:

SEREMBAN: A general worker with the Negri Sembilan Veterinary Services Department lost his right leg after being gored by a selembu, at the department’s facility in Jelebu Road here on Jan 19.

Due to the severity of the injuries inflicted by the animal (a cross between a gaur and cow), doctors had to amputate the victim’s leg below his thigh.

Baharudin Hassan, 51, narrated the incident when met at his house in Kampung Jiboi Baru here yesterday.

He said the incident occurred while he was replacing the damaged fence at the animal’s pen.

There were two female and a male selembu in the pen and Roslan Mansor, an assistant veterinary officer, was trying to lure the animals to the adjacent pen.

Baharudin said the facility also housed other animals like deer, camels, Balinese cows, squirrels and birds. – Bernama

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Selembu.

noun - Selembu is a cross between a gaur (Bos gaurus hubbacki) and a cow.

To know more about selembu, go here.

Can or may?

Taken from The New Oxford Dictionary of English:

Is there any difference between may and can when used to request or express permission, as in may/can I ask you a few questions?

It is still widely held that using can for permission is somehow incorrect, and that it should be reserved for expressions denoting capability, as in can you swim? Although this use of can is not regarded as incorrect in standard English, there is a clear difference in formality between the two verbs: may is, generally speaking, a more polite way of asking for something and is the better choice in more formal contexts.

Do you speak English?

Funny video. A bit cruel though.

Basic Grammar - Pronouns

Pronoun

noun a word that can function as a noun phrase used by itself and that refers either to the participants in the discourse (e.g. I, you) or to someone or something mentioned elsewhere in the discourse (e.g. she, it, this).

Cold or cool?

Cold

adjective of or at a low or relatively low temperature, especially when compared with the human body

Cool

adjective of or at a low or relatively low temperature

Enmity

Word for the day is: Enmity

noun (pl. -ies) [mass noun] the state or feeling of being actively opposed or hostile to someone or something

Egalitarian

Word for the day is: Egalitarian

adjective of, relating to, or believing in the principle that all people are equal and deserve equal rights and opportunities

Taken from this article:
The egalitarian nature of the internet is under threat, argues internet law professor Michael Geist.

Pliant

Words for the day are: Pliant and pliable.

Pliant

adjective pliable

Taken from this article:
The gel allows the battery to be extremely pliant, with a thickness of 300 microns.

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Pliable

adjective easily bent; flexible

Venerate

Word for the day is: Venerate

verb [with obj.] (often be venerated) regard with great respect

Taken from this article:
We should not dismiss Wikipedia, but we should not venerate it either.

Portent

Word for the day is: Portent

noun a sign or warning that something, especially something momentous or calamitous, is likely to happen

Taken from this article:
Parker's effort was merely a portent of what was to come two minutes before the interval when Owen struck again to re-establish their lead.

Bereavement

Word for the day is: Bereavement

Derivation from the verb bereave.

verb (be bereaved) be deprived of a close relation or friend through their death

Taken from this article:
Benitez to stay in Japan despite bereavement.

Loquacious

Word for the day is: Loquacious

adjective talkative.

Taken from this article:
Mr Durkan has been characterised by his political enemies as lacking charisma in a political environment dominated by more than its fair share of media personalities.

But he can hold his own in any political debate and despite being rather loquacious is also widely regarded for his one-liners. As finance minister, he would quip: "Does my budget look big in this?"

Assiduous

Word for the day is: Assiduous

adjective showing great care and perseverance

Taken from this article:
Mr Grieve was praised for his "skilled and assiduous performances in the House of Commons where he has continued all year to harass the government and call ministers to account".

Curdle

Word for the day is: Curdle

verb separate or cause to separate into curds or lumps

e.g. The sauce may curdle if you add too much lemon juice.

Tortuous

Word for the day is: Tortuous

adjective full of twists and turns

Taken from this article:
Liverpool fans endured a tortuous route to the final, with only a late goal from Gerrard against Olympiakos in the group stages keeping them in the tournament with Bayer Leverkusen, Juventus and Chelsea all seen off along the way.

Purview

Word for the day is: Purview

noun [in sing.] the scope of the influence or concerns of something

Taken from this article:
e.g. It said it should be able to implement the justice system as it involved religious matters which come under state purview.