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The New York Review of Books recently spammed me with an email that led off like this:
I have mixed feelings about those "collective nouns" for different kinds of animals. A flock of birds, a herd of cows, a pack of wolves — fine. A flock of wolves, a herd of birds, a pack of cows — wrong, even weird. But a romp of otters? A plump of seals? A prickle of hedgehogs? A murder of crows? Give me a break…
But according to the BBC, these creative group names date back to 1486, and a book by Juliana Berners entitled "The Book of Hawking, Hunting and Blasing of Arms". The BBC disagrees with Wikipedia about her name — "Julia" rather than "Juliana" — and also about the book title, which Wikipedia gives as The Book of Saint Albans. A digital copy is here — on a quick skim, I don't locate the "165 collective nouns for groups of people and animals" that the BBC article credits to her. No doubt readers will be able to do better, especially since the Wikipedia article links to the Gutenberg copy of an 1881 edition where the list is fairly easy to find:
The Compaẏnẏs of beestẏs and fowlẏs.
AN Herde of Hertis
an herde of aƚƚ maṅ dere
an Herde of Swannys
an Herde of Cranys
an Herde of Corlewys
an Herde of wrennys
an Herde of harlottys
a Nye of ffesaunttys
a Beuy of Ladies
a Beuy of Roos
a Beuy of Quaylis
a Sege of heronnys
a Sege of betouris
a Sorde or a sute of malardis
a Mustre of Pecockys
a walke of Snytis
a Congregacion of peple
an Exaltyng of Larkis
a wache of Nyghtingalis
an hoost of men
a ffelisħippyng of yomen
a Cherme of Goldefynches
a Cast of Brede
a Couple or a payer of botillis
a fflight of Doues
an vnkyndenes of Rauenes
a Clateryng of choughes
a Dissimulacion of breddis
a Route of Knyghtis
a Pride of Lionys
a Sleuth of Beeris
a Cete of Graies
a Bery of Conyis
a Riches of Martronys
a Besynes of ferettis
a Brace of grehoundis of ij
a Lece of Grehoundis of .iij
a Coupuƚƚ of spaynellis
a Couple of rennyng houndis
a Litter of welpis
a Kyndyƚƚ of yong Cattis
a Synguler of Boris
a Dryft of tame Swyne
an Harrasse of horse
a Ragg of coltis or a Rake
a Baren of Mulis
a Trippe of Gete
a Trippe of haaris
a Gagle of gees
a Brode of hennys
a badelyng of Dokis
a Noonpaciens of wyues
a State of Prynces
a Thongh of barons
a Prudens of vikeris
a Suꝑfluyte of Nunnys
a Scole of clerkes
a Doctryne of doctoris
a Conu̇tyng of prechouris
a Sentence of Iuges
a Dampnyng of Iurrouris
a Diligens of Messangeris
an Obeisians of ẜuauntis
a Sete of vssheris
a Draught of boteleris
a Proude shewyng of taloris
a Temꝑans of cokys
a Stalke of fosteris
a Boost of saudiouris
a Laughtre of Osteloris
a Glosyng of Tauerneris
a Malepertnes of pedleres
a Thraue of Throsheris
a squatte of Dawberis
a Fightyng of beggers
an vntrouth of sompneris
a Melody of Harpers
A Pauuerty of pypers
a sotelty of sergeauntis
a Tabernacle of bakers
a Drifte of fisħers
a Disgysyng of Taylours
a Bleche of sowteris
a Smere of Coryouris
a Clustre of Grapys
a Clustre of chorlis
a Rage of Maydenys
a Rafuƚƚ of Knauys
a blusħ of boyes
an vncredibilite of Cocoldis
a Couy of partrichis
a Sprynge of Telis
a Desserte of Lapwyngꝭ
a faƚƚ of woodecockis
a Congregacion of Pleuers
a Couert of cootis
a Dueƚƚ of Turtillis
a Titengis of Pies
an Ost of sparowis
a Swarme of bees
a cast of haukis of ye tour .ij
a Lece of thessame haukis .iij
a Flight of Goshaukes
a Flight of swalowes
a beldyng of Rookes
a Murmuracion of stares
a Route of woluess
a Lepe of Lebardis
a Shrewdenes of Apis
a Skulke of Theuys
a skulke of ffoxis
a Nest of Rabettis
a Labor of Mollis
a Mute of houndes
a Keneƚƚ of Rachis
a Sute of a lyam
a Cowardnes of curris
a Soundre of wilde swyne
a Stode of Maris
a Pase of Assis
a Droue of Nete
a fflocke of Shepe
a Gagle of women
a Pepe of chykennys
a Multiplieng of husbondis
a Pontificalite of prelatis
a Dignyte of chanonys
a Charge of curatis
a Discrecion of Prestis
a Sculke of freris
a bhomynable sight of mōkis
a Scoƚƚ of ffysħ
a Example of Maisteris
an Obẜuans of herimytis
an Eloquens of laweyeris
an Execucion of Officerys
a faith of Marchandis
a ꝓuision of stewardꝭ of hous
a Kerff of Panteris
a Credens of Seweris
an vnbrewyng of Kerueris
a Safegarde of Porteris
a Blast of hunteris
a Thretenyng of courteyeris
a Promyse of Tapsteris
a Lyeng of pardeneris
a Misbeleue of paynteris
a Lasħ of Carteris
a Scoldyng of Kemsteris
a wonderyng of Tynkeris
a waywardnes of haywardis
a worship of writeris
a Neu̇thriuyng of Iogoleris
a ffraunch of Mylneris
a Festre of Brewris
a Goryng of Bochouris
a Trynket of Corueseris
a Plocke of Shoturneris
a Dronkship of Coblers
a Sculke of foxis
a Clustre of Nottis
a Rage of the teethe
a Rascaƚƚ of Boyes
a Disworship of Scottis
Update– indeed a commenter finds the relevant pages in the digital facsimile…
October 2, 2024 @ 5:31 pm
· Filed by Mark Liberman under Usage
Permalink
Chips Mackinolty said,
October 2, 2024 @ 7:00 pm
A travesty of tea. towels, a calumny of collective nouns …
Philip Taylor said,
October 2, 2024 @ 7:21 pm
Reminds me of my (winning) answers to a quiz set by the late Brian Meek of Queen Mary College, who asked for suggestions for collective nouns for people involved in computing, of which the only one I can now remember is an ululation of users.
Seth said,
October 2, 2024 @ 7:51 pm
@ Philip Taylor
A cloud of system administrators
A pox of managers
A compilation of coders
Steve Morrison said,
October 2, 2024 @ 8:12 pm
These days, people seem to use the word “bevy” for many more things than a group of women.
F said,
October 2, 2024 @ 8:21 pm
It's on pages 42r and v and 43r. Followed by a collection of words for preparing various animals for the table (I think).
Of course they are made up, but evidently this particular linguistic game has a venerable tradition…
tudza said,
October 2, 2024 @ 9:16 pm
Always thought these were called terms of venery
https://dn790007.ca.archive.org/0/items/dictionary-collection_20220916_1258/venery-animal-dictionary-1486.pdf
Haamu said,
October 2, 2024 @ 10:35 pm
I have long wondered which came first: "Parliament of owls" or Chaucer's "Parlement of Foules." I assume one is a play on the other. Wiktionary dates the expression to the 15thC while the poem is late 14thC. Meanwhile, naive googling attributes it to C.S. Lewis, while Ngrams has it showing up in the mid 19thC. So who knows.
Philip Taylor said,
October 3, 2024 @ 12:34 am
Seth — sadly I cannot remember any of the other 25. There was one for each letter of the alphabet, and all alliterated. The prize was a copy of Knuth's TAOCP, volume 1, "Fundamental Algorithms".
Tom Ace said,
October 3, 2024 @ 1:21 am
"A flock of birds, a herd of cows, a pack of wolves — fine."
Those examples are on the safe side of the slippery slope.
Once you're fine with a school of fish, it's game over.
Barbara Phillips Long said,
October 3, 2024 @ 1:34 am
@ Philip Taylor —
When my late husband was assigned “Fundamental Algorithms” in college, he read it cover to cover and doubtless reread sections. The book was probably his favorite textbook. This was in the early 1970s, when the only way to pursue computer science studies where we were was through the mathematics department. He went on to a very satisfying career as a programmer and then a systems analyst — and he bought and read the subsequent Knuth books as they came out.
Not exactly relevant, but I was fascinated to discover that Knuth is a very skilled organist who had a pipe organ installed in his home.
Andreas Johansson said,
October 3, 2024 @ 1:36 am
What's with the dotted y's in "The Compaẏnẏs of beestẏs and fowlẏs"? Every y in the header has a dot, yet if I'm not mistaken none of those in the actual list does, despite the occurence of various other diachritics, which seems suspicious it it's supposed to have any phonetic significance?
Barbara Phillips Long said,
October 3, 2024 @ 2:05 am
Badgers — I had never heard of a “cete of badgers,” although I knew interrelated groups of badgers lived in setts. Often “clan” seems to be used to describe the badgers that live in one of the tunnel complexes called setts.
Crows — I wonder if “a murder of crows” is connected to the fact that crows are, among other things, scavengers (thus, the “carrion crow”). I have seen “a murder of crows” used multiple times, and however it came to be, I expect it will stay in use until people aren’t amused by the term.
Murmuration — I had no idea this term was so old.
P.S. I just reread this before posting. My touchscreen keyboard has been a little cranky, and somehow “carrion crow” became “clarion cow.”
J.M.G.N. said,
October 3, 2024 @ 2:20 am
@Andreas
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E1%BA%8F#Old_English
Philip Taylor said,
October 3, 2024 @ 3:19 am
Barbara — " I was fascinated to discover that Knuth is a very skilled organist who had a pipe organ installed in his home" — he does indeed, and I had the pleasure of hearing him play several (Church) organs in the Czech Republic on the occasion of his being awarded an honorary degree (Doctor Honoris Causa in the field of Mathematical Sciences) by Masaryk University.
Peter Taylor said,
October 3, 2024 @ 4:25 am
@tudza, although this list starts out with collective nouns for animals, a significant portion of it (I haven't bothered to count) is collective nouns for classes of people.
Edith said,
October 3, 2024 @ 5:46 am
Should it not be teas towel?
Victor Mair said,
October 3, 2024 @ 6:41 am
In college I greatly enjoyed reading Chaucer's (1343?–1400) Parlement of Foules (also known as the Parliament of Foules, Parlement of Briddes, Assembly of Fowls, Assemble of Foules, or The Parliament of Birds).
Another text that I have had the pleasure of studying is The Conference of the Birds or Speech of the Birds (Persian: منطق الطیر, Manṭiq-uṭ-Ṭayr, also known as مقامات الطیور Maqāmāt-uṭ-Ṭuyūr; 1177). This is a celebrated literary masterpiece of Persian literature by the poet Farid ud-Din Attar, commonly known as Attar of Nishapur.
See "Bird language" (6/15/17)
Michael Vnuk said,
October 3, 2024 @ 8:08 am
Tenth on the list is 'a Beuy of Roos'. As an Australian, I was intrigued that roos (ie kangaroos) were known that early in Europe, but from a quick skim it seems that 'Roos' refers to roe deer.
Francois Lang said,
October 3, 2024 @ 8:36 am
Great book for readers interested in these wonderful terms of venery
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/511205.An_Exaltation_of_Larks
J.W. Brewer said,
October 3, 2024 @ 9:11 am
How many non-fanciful instances are there of multiple collective nouns for the same specified non-human animal? To take one such example I vaguely think of a "shoal of fish" as being presumptively larger than a "school of fish," but wikipedia tells me that to specialists the distinction has to do with how the fish are or aren't behaving vis-a-vis each other rather than how many of them there are (while also allowing that "[i]n common usage, the terms are sometimes used rather loosely"). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoaling_and_schooling
For some sorts of humans you have a whole taxonomical hierarchy of collective nouns. The most obvious example is military: you can have a squad of soldiers or a platoon of them, or a company, battalion, regiment, brigade etc., with all of those words also used (generally more loosely, although "company" is sort of polysemous and the military sense is not primary) to describe groups of non-soldiers. Any examples of that in the non-human world?
Rodger C said,
October 3, 2024 @ 10:18 am
Andreas, at one point in Middle English the dot was the only distinction between a y and a þ.
stephen said,
October 3, 2024 @ 2:51 pm
My father had a wastebasket decorated with examples of these collective nouns. It seemed like such an odd thing to decorate it with. I think it was from one of the organizations he supported, I wish I knew which one.
John McNaught said,
October 3, 2024 @ 5:48 pm
“Flange of baboons”, anyone?
Surprisingly, the referenced BBC article did not mention this one, even though it appeared as a pure invention in their comedy show “Not the Nine O’Clock News” (1979-1982). It subsequently went viral,, e.g.,
“Thirty baboons die at Windsor Safari Park
Interview with the curator of Windsor Safari Park, Paul O’Donoghue, about a rare form of botulism which has decimated the zoo’s flange of baboons, after thirty of the eighty-seven animals died. Male interviewer not identified. Originally from Radio 210.” (British Universities and Colleges Film and Video Council)
(The curator does not use this term in the interview.)
HS said,
October 3, 2024 @ 10:10 pm
I'd personally rather like to see a "quardle of crows", but you would have to be familiar with what is probably New Zealand's most famous poem to appreciate that.
(I suppose it should really be a "quardle of (Australian) magpies" but that unfortunately lacks the alliteration of "quardle of crows"!)
Note – "quardle" should be pronounced as if it was spelt "quordle", i.e. to rhyme with "cord", not "card". Most people reciting Denis Glover's poem seem to naturally pronounce it to rhyme with "card" but Glover himself pronounced it to rhyme with "cord", i.e. he pronounced it with the vowel of "quart" or "quarter". He pronounced "wardle" (though not "ardle") the same way, i.e. he pronounced it like the first syllable "wardrobe". There seems to be a fairly systematic vowel shift in English following /w/, so that for example "wander" is pronounced as if it was spelt "wonder" and "wonder" is pronounced as if it was spelt "wunder". (These pronunciations may differ in American English.) I don't know the reason for this but I'm sure someone on Language Log will!
HS said,
October 3, 2024 @ 10:20 pm
Oops, that link should have been New Zealand's most famous poem
Philip Taylor said,
October 4, 2024 @ 3:11 am
My mind read it as /ˈkwɔː dəl/ long before you spelled it out, HS !
HS said,
October 6, 2024 @ 7:28 pm
After writing that comment above, out of interest I went and looked up "quart" and "quarter" in my various dictionaries and they all tell me that both these words are pronounced with an initial /kw/. That completely surprised me – I pronounce them with an initial /k/ without the /w/, and I just assumed that everybody else did as well. Is this just a New Zealand thing? Are they standardly pronounced with /kw/ in British and American English? (Philip Taylor's IPA transcription suggests that maybe they are in British English.) And if so, why haven't I noticed? I suppose they are not particularly common words, but on the other hand they are not particularly rare either and I think I would surely have noticed if Britons ("Brits"? "the British"?) or Americans pronounced them that way. After experimenting with saying them aloud to myself, I think it would be possible for someone to pronounce them with a kind of soft /w/ that I could fail to notice, but still it surprises me.
But I notice that Wickionary makes the /w/ option, so I am relieved to know that I am not the only one.
Anyway, "quardle" is pronounced with an initial /kw/ (and the difference between that and my pronunciation of "quart" and "quarter" is why I was looking it up).
Dwight Williams said,
October 7, 2024 @ 5:13 pm
"An execution of officers"?
I'm not surprised that one's fallen out of practice.
Anthea Fleming said,
October 8, 2024 @ 12:27 am
i have often worried through this list to decipher it. Medieval spelling was often highly individual. I'm pleased to see that it should really be a 'sett of badgers'; but has anyone else noticed that the 'desserte of lapwings' should really be a 'deceit of lapwings"? They are very clever at leading you the wrong way if you try to find their nest, even though it is out on open ground.
JimG said,
October 10, 2024 @ 8:07 pm
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/10/us/raccoons-washington-home.html
Graeme said,
October 15, 2024 @ 6:10 am
A mouthful of linguists?
Or a handful?
Benjamin E. Orsatti said,
October 16, 2024 @ 10:49 am
Graeme,
I guess that would depend on whether you're talking about a natural language or sign language, wouldn't it?
Alex Boulton said,
October 16, 2024 @ 11:22 am
I wish I could claim "a wunch of bankers" as my own.
Erik said,
October 28, 2024 @ 6:58 pm
I've long wondered about these terms. There are ones that people indubitably use to this day. But many of the more fanciful terms of venery seem unlikely to me to have ever been in common use, even amongst the English hunters that supposedly are the origin of these words. To be clear, it is possible for someone to create a fanciful name and get it actually used in non-jocular contexts. I feel like "murder of crows" has made that jump. But I wonder if anyone ever actually referred to a bunch of cats as a "clowder" without cracking a smile. Has anyone actually studied this?