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December 03, 2004

AoS Re-Play: Collective Names For Groups of People

Frank Villon informs me that the phrase a "stank of protestors" is a "venery" (or hunting) term for a collection of things.

Frank, you gotta be quicker than that to beat me in any game involving insulting people.

Way back when, on March 15, I collected up the lesser-known collective nouns for groups of people:

Since I was a kid, I always enjoyed the humorous and sometimes poetic group-names given to different animals. It was interesting to me that one said a school of fish but a pack of wolves; it was delightful that one said a parliament of owls and an exultation of larks. A shrewdness of apes, a crash of rhinoceroses, an ostentation of peacocks-- just grand poetry.

And of course it was just flat-out cool that one said a murder of crows.

But this practice was also extended to naming groups of people. One could say a skulk of thieves (cool!), a rascal of boys (cute!), and, if one could keep a straight face, a neverthriving of jugglers (goofy!).

More of these are found here; I don't know if I'll ever actually say a superfluidity of nuns, but it's nice to know that I could, if I wanted to.

I threw the crack Ace of Spades HQ Etymology and Semiotics Department at into researching other collective-names. After 1200 billable hours of research, all paid for by the ultra-secretive cryptofascist benefactor I know only as "Mr. Tranh," I've discovered even more collective-nouns for groups of people, these more relevant to the world we live in today. I plan to use these in everyday conversation; I hope you'll find some use for them too.

... from the Home Office in Pocatello, Idaho...

Top Ten Lesser-Known Collective Nouns for Different Groups of People

10. A gesticulation of Italians

9. A corruption of Congressmen

8. A moustache of policemen

7. A tumescence of pornstars

6. A shriek of liberals

5. A waddle of Rosie O'Donnells

4. An armpit of feminists

3. An insignificance of Canadians

2. A malodor of Frenchmen (also acceptable: a quavering of Frenchmen; a surrender of Frenchmen)

...and the Number One Lesser-Known Collective Noun for a Group of People...

1. A crimewave of Kennedys

Honorable Mentions:

A doddering of seniors

A twaddle of Democrats

A condescension of reporters

A kegger of college students

A genocide of Germans

A trust-fund of "peace" marchers

A hypervapidity of Maureen Dowds

posted by Ace at 12:00 PM

Comments

A Shrill of Katie Courics

A Hen's Pecking of John Kerrys

A Coiffure of John Edwards

A Corruption of Clintons

Posted by: jennifer on December 3, 2004 12:12 PM

A Haggle of Lawyers?
A Carbuncle of Proctologists?
A Cheeto of Stoners?

Posted by: Bud Tugley on December 3, 2004 12:50 PM

a hack of golfers
a falloujah of marines
a flock of pricks

Posted by: streeter on December 3, 2004 01:00 PM

Lol! I didn't doubt for a second that you already knew about terms of venery, Ace. The explanation was provided for some of your readers who may not have been familiar with the concept.

But you still didn't answer my question:

Why a "stank" of protesters instead of a "stink" of protesters? Not that I have a problem with your choice, because I don't have a problem with it. Just curious.

(By the way, you are going to be responsible for a post on my blog that will bore my one reader away for good, but thanks for being the inspiration for it.)

Posted by: FrankVillon on December 3, 2004 01:01 PM

Why does Dictionary.com only define "venery" in sexaul terms and "venereal" in terms of STDs?

Speaking of which, how about:

An AndrewSullivan of Flare-Ups

Posted by: Dear Johns on December 3, 2004 01:59 PM

P.S. Ace, I'm surprise you haven't suggested a term of venery for a group of bloggers. After all, "blog" is the number one new word according to Merriam-Webster.

Suggestions from you or the blogsphere for a term of venery for a collection of bloggers?

Posted by: Frank Villon on December 3, 2004 02:01 PM

A fictition of slobs.

Posted by: Guy T. on December 3, 2004 02:04 PM

An injection of athletes?

Posted by: skinbad on December 3, 2004 02:14 PM

Why Stank?

Because stank = stink + skank

Posted by: Master of None on December 3, 2004 02:27 PM

A Bondo of tweekers!
A gimme of Socialists!

Posted by: Bud Tugley on December 3, 2004 02:33 PM

An underwear of bloggers.

Posted by: Sobek on December 3, 2004 02:37 PM

There seem hundreds of possibilities - a bag, a buzz, a blather of bloggers.

One related piece of business. Since Mujahadeed has been cut in-theatre to "Muj", well -- the collective "Paj" would let any one such be addressed as "Paji". This lets sloppy folk make a plural out of it if they want to: "You Paji's make me sick!" (The Commissar will add Pajistan to the map.) Let the Brits call them Bloggies - they will anyway.

Posted by: Lastango on December 3, 2004 02:40 PM

How about a monopoly of moonbats?

Posted by: annie on December 3, 2004 03:12 PM

How about a "Rather" of forgeries?

Incidentally, I think it should be a "flannel" of lesbians and a "reek" of protesters.

Posted by: Bald Eagles on December 3, 2004 03:13 PM

A solipsism of Sullys.

Posted by: Rocketeer on December 3, 2004 03:16 PM

An integrity kick of Ankas.

Posted by: Ellsworth on December 3, 2004 05:44 PM

A bloviate of bloggers.

Posted by: Jim on December 3, 2004 06:32 PM

My favorite (real) one has always been "a murder of crows."

Posted by: Beck on December 3, 2004 08:06 PM

"A stink of protesters" is better. Sorry Ace. Or should that be, "a sleeve of aces"?

Posted by: Alec Rawls on December 3, 2004 08:20 PM

A silence of mimes

Posted by: Phil on December 3, 2004 08:23 PM

I prefer "stank." Stink is too common. It's almost cute. "Stank" indicates a nasty, almost creamy sort of vile funk.

A family-sized bucket of Oliver Willises?

A skank of Wonkettes?

Posted by: ace on December 3, 2004 11:50 PM

Pardon the link-whoring, but I have a hypervapidity of Maureen Dowds right here.

Posted by: Sobek on December 4, 2004 02:43 AM

A babble of editors.

Posted by: Alear on December 4, 2004 11:55 AM

and a bias of news anchors...

Two Clintons of corruption...

Three .....?

Anyone in the "Holiday" mood to finish the "Holiday" carol.

Posted by: Maggie on December 4, 2004 01:36 PM