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The English language and its idiosyncracies

Posted: 26 Jan 2015, 19:03
by dave brum
I've been thinking a lot about collective names for animals etc. after a recent category on Pointless covered things like a 'clowder' of cats and a 'crash' of rhinos.

I already knew about a pride of lions, a shoal of fish, a school of whales, a murder of crows, a parliament of owls, herd of cows, elephants etc...as well as a bevy of ladies!!!

Any more that anyone can think of?? (how about a farage of fools?)

Re: The English language and its idiosyncracies

Posted: 26 Jan 2015, 21:05
by Gill the Piano
A murder of crows...charm of finches...parliament of owls...

Re: The English language and its idiosyncracies

Posted: 26 Jan 2015, 21:30
by dave brum
A number of mathematicians, a bevy of drunkards (could also be a farage) and a fraid of ghosts!

Re: The English language and its idiosyncracies

Posted: 27 Jan 2015, 09:43
by dave brum
A few weeks ago, well just after the winter holidays we went down to Bristol using the A38 rather than the M5 and we drove through a village called Cambridge, a few miles south of Gloucester. I gather unlike its East Anglian namesake it is pronounced as it is written, rather than 'Came-bridge'. One for you, Ghislaine if you're still floating around!

Shrewsbury still intrigues me. There are no less than three ways to pronounce it, plus the town's Roman name 'Salop' and its Welsh name 'Amwythig'.

Re: The English language and its idiosyncracies

Posted: 01 Feb 2015, 11:25
by dave brum
Going back to the age old 'farage' debate, there is this, well I say IS as I think it is still available in the supermarket, brand of porridge oats but marketed as Scotts Porage Oats. Only this brand calls it 'porage' for some reason?

Re: The English language and its idiosyncracies

Posted: 01 Feb 2015, 19:29
by Gill the Piano
It was made up by Scott and combined the word 'poray' with the word 'potage' (frog). Though the variant porage dates back to 1530s.

Re: The English language and its idiosyncracies

Posted: 01 Feb 2015, 21:37
by dave brum
So the original word is porage then? Etymology is yet another string to your bow, Gillchops!

Re: The English language and its idiosyncracies

Posted: 02 Feb 2015, 16:57
by Gill the Piano
Nope, but goooooooogling is.

Re: The English language and its idiosyncracies

Posted: 02 Feb 2015, 17:48
by dave brum
I didn't have to look up etymology on Wiktionary! I learned it in skule!