Terms of venery
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mhardy6647
Posts: 33,045
Humans like to name things -- it's a human thing 
One of the things that humans like to name is collections of things.
You know, like:
A pod of whales
A murder of crows
A murmuration of starlings
etc.
These 'collective nouns' even have a name of their own (duh) --
Terms of venery.
There's even a book.
But there're still some gaps, I think.
There are still some opportunities.
Back when we had two cats, I figured there should be a term for "a few cats, but not all that many".
So I coined one:
A paucity of cats. (cats... paws...
)
Last week, I was looking at a smattering of rock doves attacking our birdfeeder.
I told my wife that we had:
A smidgen of pigeons.
Any of all y'all got any to add?
One of the things that humans like to name is collections of things.
You know, like:
A pod of whales
A murder of crows
A murmuration of starlings
etc.
These 'collective nouns' even have a name of their own (duh) --
Terms of venery.
There's even a book.
But there're still some gaps, I think.
There are still some opportunities.
Back when we had two cats, I figured there should be a term for "a few cats, but not all that many".
So I coined one:
A paucity of cats. (cats... paws...
)Last week, I was looking at a smattering of rock doves attacking our birdfeeder.
I told my wife that we had:
A smidgen of pigeons.
Any of all y'all got any to add?
Post edited by mhardy6647 on
Comments
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I actually saw this one first right here on the Post a picture thread
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A gaggle of Fraggles.
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A jug of pugs.
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A gaggle of gargoyles
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Actually, a group of cats is called a “clowder” of cats. They cal also be called a “glaring” of cats dependent on mood.
A litter of kittens can also be called a “kindle” of kittens.
As a 10 cat household, we are something of experts on the car group terminology...although, we still revert from time to time and refer to them as a “group of inconsiderate a-holes”."Some people find it easier to be conceited rather than correct."
"Unwad those panties and have a good time man. We're all here to help each other, no matter how it might appear." DSkip -
A dispersion of sturgeon.
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An obscurance of hipsters.
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I have a profusion of Polks.Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
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Actually, a group of cats is called a “clowder” of cats. They cal also be called a “glaring” of cats dependent on mood.
A litter of kittens can also be called a “kindle” of kittens.
As a 10 cat household, we are something of experts on the car group terminology...although, we still revert from time to time and refer to them as a “group of inconsiderate a-holes”.
You probably won't be surprised to know that I did know that
I'll remind you what Paula Poundstone said about having a houseful (clowder) of cats. At one point, she had sixteen.
(actually a paraphrase, but pretty danged close)People ask me, "How did you get 16 cats!?"
I say "It was easy! We had 15, and then we got another one!
I was thinking that a commercial kitchen might have a soupçon of kettles...
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An annoyance of squirrels."This may not matter to you, but it does to me for various reasons, many of them illogical or irrational, but the vinyl hobby is not really logical or rational..." - member on Vinyl Engine
"Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to." - Cicero, in Gladiator
Regarding collectibles: "It's not who gets it. It's who gets stuck with it." - Jimmy Fallon -
An annoyance of squirrels.
We call ours a little army of squirrels. about 5/6 and sometimes 8 or 9.
But with Hawks breeding 2 doors down, they're about to become a squad.Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them. -
A chord of pianos?
Not to be confused with a hoard of dump-divers.
swappile1 by Mark Hardy, on Flickr
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Bunch of balloons2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC
erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a -
txcoastal1 wrote: »Bunch of balloons
As one might find associated with a mess of preschoolers.
oh, I crack myself up sometimes...
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ooh, ooh, oooh!
A volume of stereo equipment.
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I think you meant a “heard” of stereo components.
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