{"id":5091,"date":"2016-05-09T08:19:00","date_gmt":"2016-05-09T06:19:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/intrawelt.com\/%c2%93have-a-gander-at-that-gaggle-of-geese%c2%94\/"},"modified":"2020-02-04T16:22:44","modified_gmt":"2020-02-04T15:22:44","slug":"%c2%93have-a-gander-at-that-gaggle-of-geese%c2%94","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/intrawelt.com\/en\/%c2%93have-a-gander-at-that-gaggle-of-geese%c2%94\/","title":{"rendered":"Have a Gander at that Gaggle of Geese!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Collective<\/em> or mass nouns<\/em> assigned to different groups of animals are perhaps one of the most curious peculiarities of the English language; with evidence of some terms originating in the fifteenth century, used amongst the privileged members of society for hunting activities. There are a number of books, know as Books of Courtesy<\/em> from these times that included extensive lists of collective nouns, the most famous of these are perhaps the The Egerton Manuscript <\/em>and The Book of St Albans.<\/em><\/p>\n

Many of the terms relate to the behaviour, physical characteristics or other well known features of the animals themselves and therefore have a variety of connotations. For example, within the category of mammals listed below we can already observe some terms that relate to the abovementioned features.<\/p>\n

Apes<\/strong> tend to have a powerful presence and due to their great stature can come across as quite commanding and dominant, this could perhaps be why their collective name is troop<\/em><\/strong>. Apes<\/strong> are also well known for their intelligence, which provides an explanation as to why the other collective noun assigned to apes is shrewdness<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Camels<\/strong> received their collective nouns of caravan <\/em><\/strong>or train <\/em><\/strong>as they are often the main form of transport for humans and\/or products across the desert.<\/p>\n

\"raccoon1\"<\/p>\n

The mass noun given to a group of raccoons<\/strong> is gaze<\/em><\/strong>, and we can see\u00a0why. Their dark eyes, and the fur that surrounds them, do give the impression that the raccoons are fixated by something, or someone \u0096 adorable, we know!<\/p>\n

Mammals<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Apes – Shrewdness, Troop<\/td>\nLeopards \u0096 Leap<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Camels \u0096 Caravan, Train<\/td>\nMoles \u0096 Labour, Company, Movement<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cheetahs \u0096 Coalition<\/td>\nRaccoons \u0096 Gaze<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Giraffes \u0096 Tower<\/td>\nZebras \u0096 Zeal, Crossing, Dazzle, Cohorts, Herd<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Hedgehogs \u0096 Array<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Hippopotamuses \u0096 Bloat<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

As for our feathered friends, these have what one might call, slightly more sofisticated names \u0096 in some cases.<\/p>\n

A general group of game<\/strong> can be called a volary<\/em><\/strong>, a brace<\/em><\/strong> or a plump<\/em><\/strong>, whilst a group of owls<\/strong> can be referred to as a parliament<\/em><\/strong> or a stare<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

There is something quite comical however about imagining a raft<\/em><\/strong>, team<\/em><\/strong> or paddling<\/em><\/strong> of ducks<\/strong>, a mob<\/em><\/strong> of emus<\/strong>, or a gaggle<\/em><\/strong> of geese<\/strong>; playing on the behaviour and daily activities of the animal, the stature or the sounds they make.<\/p>\n

Birds<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Birds (Game) \u0096 Volary, Brace, Plump<\/td>\nBirds (Ground) \u0096 Flock, Dissimulation<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Birds (Sea) \u0096 Wreck<\/td>\nGeese (Flight) \u0096 Skein<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ducks (Water) \u0096 Raft, Team, Paddling<\/td>\nGeese (Ground) \u0096 Gaggle, Herd, Corps<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Emus \u0096 Mob<\/td>\nMagpies \u0096 Tiding, Gulp, Murder, Charm<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Geese (General) \u0096 Flock<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Other animal group nouns follow this pattern and similar criteria has been used to establish their collective noun; often, also using how humans perceive them. For example, nobody wants an intrusion<\/em><\/strong> of cockroaches<\/strong> in their house, or a plague<\/em><\/strong> of locusts<\/strong>!<\/p>\n

Fish<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fish (General) \u0096 Draft, Nest, Shoal, School<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Reptiles and Amphibians<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alligators \u0096 Congregation<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Athropods and Mollusks<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Ants \u0096 Colony, Army, Swarm, Nest<\/td>\nLocusts \u0096 Plague<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cockroaches \u0096 Intrusion<\/td>\nSnails \u0096 Escargatoire, Rout, Walk<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Lice \u0096 Flock<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

And what do you call a group of translators, spotted together in the wild? We\u0092ll leave that up to your imagination\u0085<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Collective or mass nouns assigned to different groups of animals are perhaps one of the most curious peculiarities of the English language; with evidence of some terms originating in the fifteenth century, used amongst the privileged members of society for hunting activities. There are a number of books, know as Books of Courtesy from these […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nHave a Gander at that Gaggle of Geese! | Intrawelt UK<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Collective or mass nouns assigned to different groups of animals are perhaps one of the most curious peculiarities of the English language. 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