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Mark’s Neologisms #4: Collective Nouns

‘Longshoremen walked off the docks today.  Rescue operations are continuing around the clock.”–George Carlin

A gaggle of geese…a pod of walruses….a murmuration of starlings…a pride of lions.  It seem that interest in collective nouns,  the colorful, if mostly archaic ones that define a specific group of the animal kingdom, is on a comeback.  One article I read suggested some tongue in cheek, punny new monikers for specific groups of us humanoids.   These included “an absence of waiters,” “an attitude of teenagers,” and “a brace of orthodontists.”   So of course, the light bulb in my brain, dull as it is, flashed on.  There are any number of people packs that deserve their own special sobriquet.  Here are a few suggestions.

  • A prevarication of politicians–pretty obvious
  • A Trump of narcissists–also obvious
  • A Cruz of theocrats–sadly obvious
  • A neuter of veterinarians–considering I’ve been living with one for 40 years, it’s a miracle I’m still intact.
  • An enhancement of athletes–but this works only for those that don’t live with veterinarians
  • A babble of talk show hosts–and it certainly seems there are a babble of them.
  • An angst of existentialists–I resemble that
  • A Xerox® of Copycats–Note the ®, no I.P. issues, please.
  • A largesse of lawyers–NOT!! (just wanted to see if you were paying attention)
  • A regurgitation of acid reflux sufferers–Ewwww!
  • A rash of dermatologists–It is, after all, allergy season
  • A drowning of longshoremen–You should have seen that one coming.

Any suggestions for more?  Join the vituperation of posters in the comments below.

Comments

  1. Anne Bonney says:

    A brew of baristas
    A skein of knitters
    A deficit of accountants
    A sizzle of grillmasters
    A spray of graffiti artists
    A thong of lingerie models
    I’m done

  2. Good ones.
    How about a boarding of pirates? Planking of pirates? You’re the one with pirate name, you come up with one. 😉

  3. Anne Bonney says:

    An Arrrrgh of Pirates, of course.

  4. A refrain of singing contestants
    A page of writers
    A declaration of insurance agents
    A scaffolding of construction workers
    This is fun!

  5. A ham of actors?
    A gathering of tailors?
    A hail of taxi drivers?

    OK. Yours were funnier.

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