Does anyone really use collective nouns for any useful purpose? According to
Wikipedia (see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collective_noun#Terms_of_venery_.28words_for_groups_of_animals.29)
they date from the 15th century and "were used by gentlemen to distinguish
themselves from yeomen and others". There are a few that are in common enough
use to warrant everyone using them, e.g. a pride of lions, or more locally, a
mob of emus, but for most of the rest, I'd bet that if you have to look up
which word to use then hardly anyone else is going to know the word either, so
you're going to look pretentious for using it outside of poetry, or for fun.
There's a list of collective nouns for birds here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_collective_nouns_for_birds
There aren't many there that wouldn't raise eybrows if you used them. Some of
them might be in more common use in scientific circles, I wouldn't know. I
suspect some might be in use in falconry, but none are listed there for eagles,
maybe because the loose gatherings they apparently occasionally form don't
really count as a group, they just happen to be in the same area, although I'm
happy to be corrected about that, I've never seen more than 2 or 3.
Peter Shute
> -----Original Message-----
> From:
> On Behalf Of Wendy
> Sent: Tuesday, 31 August 2010 9:50 AM
> To: Laurie Knight; Syd Curtis
> Cc: Birding Aus
> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Collective noun for Wedgies?
>
> How about a Carrion of W-Eagles? given this is often the
> reason for seeing an aggregation of such birds.
>
> Trouble is,
> all our numerous ex-Pom birders will probably think of this
> as a 'groan!!'
> movie(s) i.e. a Carry On
>
> I just did a quick look via Google and this site offers 2
> suggestions for your question Syd.
> aerie of eagles
> convocation of eagles
>
> plus a couple of others caught my eye
> congregation of birds
> dissimulation of birds (= deceive, disguise ones intentions
> feelings??? - I don't get this? I initially thought this was
> - dissemination - and would have thought it a more
> appropriate at times, especially for Wedgies
>
> http://www.rinkworks.com/words/collective.shtml
>
> Wendy
>
> ps I had meant to contact (to correct) a Radio National show
> recently on which a panel participant mentioned a collective
> of Crows being a Murmur.
> Sadly I have forgotten which show. Could be a good collective
> noun for some other birds or other animal, but not Crows
> (ravens) I would have thought
>
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