The Accurate Reloading Forums
For the English majors among us
15 March 2010, 19:44
Black FlyFor the English majors among us
A recent thread on plurals got me to thinking about the proper name for herds of game. Maybe they are herds, but at one time, I thought geese flew in flocks, never heard of a gaggle. Then there is a murder of crows and a mob of ravens, or it might be the other way around.
Any body know if the game herds of Africa or other places have such names?
Not interested in waking up the grammar police, I'd prefer to let them and the the ethics cops have a rest. Just curious.
Bfly
Work hard and be nice, you never have enough time or friends.
15 March 2010, 19:58
shakariI'll kick it off by saying a gaggle or flock of geese are only that when on the ground. When in the air, they're a flight or a skein. (pronounced skayn)
You also have a cast of falcons and I guess you could have a bastard of tax collectors.
Also I think a covey of francolins, a muster of storks and a parliament or owls.
15 March 2010, 20:06
ddrhookok why is one pant(trouser) a pair of pants and a bra which holds two nice soft pair of tit's not a pair or bras
15 March 2010, 20:33
MacD37Man I'll be glad when the Safari season gets into full swing! There is evidence of cabin fever around here!
..................
....Mac >>>===(x)===> MacD37, ...and DUGABOY1
DRSS Charter member
"If I die today, I've had a life well spent, for I've been to see the Elephant, and smelled the smoke of Africa!"~ME 1982
Hands of Old Elmer Keith
15 March 2010, 20:47
David Hulmequote:
Originally posted by ddrhook:
ok why is one pant(trouser) a pair of pants and a bra which holds two nice soft pair of tit's not a pair or bras
Very good point
15 March 2010, 21:12
ddrhookDEER no plural that I know of i saw a deer. I saw a herd of deer.
15 March 2010, 21:13
724wdquote:
Originally posted by David Hulme:
quote:
Originally posted by ddrhook:
ok why is one pant(trouser) a pair of pants and a bra which holds two nice soft pair of tit's not a pair or bras
Very good point
correction Mr. Hulme, TWO very good points!
NRA Life Member
Gun Control - A theory espoused by some monumentally stupid people; who claim to believe, against all logic and common sense, that a violent predator who ignores the laws prohibiting them from robbing, raping, kidnapping, torturing and killing their fellow human beings will obey a law telling them that they cannot own a gun.
15 March 2010, 21:14
ddrhookracoon sinlular. coons not racoons plural
15 March 2010, 21:28
David Hulmequote:
Originally posted by 724wd:
quote:
Originally posted by David Hulme:
quote:
Originally posted by ddrhook:
ok why is one pant(trouser) a pair of pants and a bra which holds two nice soft pair of tit's not a pair or bras
Very good point
correction Mr. Hulme, TWO very good points!
Depending of course on who is packing them
15 March 2010, 22:11
Grenadier
.
I've always thought that "an exaltation of larks" was one of the best, along with "a pandemonium of parrots". If you have ever come accross a tree full of African Grey Parrots, then you know where the expression comes from.
_________________________________
AR, where the hopeless, hysterical hypochondriacs of history become the nattering nabobs of negativisim.
15 March 2010, 23:07
Mike_DettorreArmy of frogs
Sounder of pigs
MikeLegistine actu quod scripsi?
Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.
What I have learned on AR, since 2001:
1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken.
2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps.
3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges.
4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down.
5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine.
6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle.
7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions.
8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA.
9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not.
10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact.
11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores.
12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence.
13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances.
One look at the Animal Groups link and you can see that there is a lot of literary license going on. I think we can come up with some good ones ourselves. I submit:
An Idiocy of Officers
A Blunder of Executives
A Conundrum of Arabs
A Confusion of Chinese
_________________________________
AR, where the hopeless, hysterical hypochondriacs of history become the nattering nabobs of negativisim.
15 March 2010, 23:25
shakariA f**k up of game laws.
A headache of game scouts.
A stink of N'drobo or Masai.
A breakdown of Land Rovers. (Sorry Aubs, couldn't resist it!)
A nag of ex-wives.
A scribble of authors.
A confusion of tourists.
And dare I say it.... a fumble of clients.
15 March 2010, 23:37
465H&HHow about an "Adnauseum of booking agents"?
465H&H
15 March 2010, 23:42
shakariGetting back to the original question for a moment, I seem to remember 'a crash of rhinos'
15 March 2010, 23:48
Frostbitquote:
Originally posted by Grenadier:
Animal Groups
If you didn't make it to the bottom of the list......
"Another animal group that you may consider is a nag of wives and a jerk of husbands."15 March 2010, 23:59
G L KrauseTrying to logically negotiate the English language is like being in the Matrix and I feel for any foreigners trying to come to terms with it. How do you explain to someone that you park in a driveway and drive on a parkway? I hunt with a guy from the Czech Republic and he constantly refers to more than one deer as “deers”. After a week in deer camp his way of putting it starts to make sense.
"I envy not him that eats better meat than I do; nor him that is richer, or that wears better clothes than I do; I envy him, and him only, that kills bigger deer than I do." Izaak Walton (modified)
16 March 2010, 00:17
phurley5For once I am proud of my Degree in Chemistry, which disqualifies me from entering this debate. Good shooting.
phurley
16 March 2010, 00:53
J.R.JacksonStupid posts on Accurate Reloading: Waste of my time
16 March 2010, 01:01
Outdoor WriterYou guys have missed the more obvious one for this section: a pride of lions
Of course, for those who insist on singular only, it would be a "pride of lion."
Tony Mandile - Author "How To Hunt Coues Deer"
16 March 2010, 01:18
BlacktailerAt what point does a herd of something become a sh*t load of something?
Yeah, can't wait for hunting seasons to get started.
Have gun- Will travel
The value of a trophy is computed directly in terms of personal investment in its acquisition. Robert Ruark
16 March 2010, 01:22
Bwana Mojaa pod of hippos-
a harem of zebras-
a barrage of gunfire.
16 March 2010, 01:27
SchauckisA bunch of idiots.
- Lars/Finland
PS. Not referring to the post(er)s in this thread!
A.k.a. Bwana One-Shot
16 March 2010, 02:06
dogcatquote:
Originally posted by 465H&H:
How about an "Adnauseum of booking agents"?
465H&H
Ouch! I hope that did not leave a bruise on Shakari.
16 March 2010, 02:26
BwanawannabeeNot to be naive Steve, but did this term originate from the sound of their departure through the bush or of their arrival at your Rover.
quote:
Originally posted by shakari:
Getting back to the original question for a moment, I seem to remember 'a crash of rhinos'
16 March 2010, 02:31
shakariquote:
Originally posted by Bwanawannabee:
Not to be naive Steve, but did this term originate from the sound of their departure through the bush or of their arrival at your Rover.
Or perhaps the crash of the gearbox failing as I tried to get out of their way!!
16 March 2010, 02:31
SevensA lot of animals running in your direction is called a stampede!
16 March 2010, 02:49
Bwana Mojaor "OH SHIT!"
16 March 2010, 06:11
GrenadierA blabbering of bloggers.
A pessary of posters.
A suppository of submitters.
No insult to those present intended, of course.
.
16 March 2010, 18:04
Bryan ChickAh well, now we are entering the realm of alliteration.
16 March 2010, 20:34
465H&Hquote:
Originally posted by dogcat:
quote:
Originally posted by 465H&H:
How about an "Adnauseum of booking agents"?
465H&H
Ouch! I hope that did not leave a bruise on Shakari.
That was just a little retribution because of his client comment, all in fun!
465H&H
16 March 2010, 21:49
KPetequote:
Originally posted by shakari:
I'll kick it off by saying a gaggle or flock of geese are only that when on the ground. When in the air, they're a flight or a skein.
Steve:
Given the importance of this matter to African hunting, I feel it necessary to point out that your premise may be flawed if the flock you are referring to contains five, 15, or 30 members, in which case it would be 'gooses' and not 'geese' composing the skein. Some would argue that any multiple of five,
ad infinitum, requires the use of 'gooses' in the pluralization of 'goose', but I think most of us would agree to draw the line at 30, right?
Of course, the aforementioned rule does not apply to more than one 'goose' if, rather than a member of the
Anatidae family of birds, one is instead referring to a poke, prod, or pinch on the buttocks. But then, in my experience a goose of this kind is most often encountered on
terra firma and rarely in flight.
Kim
Merkel Double .470 NE
Whitworth Express .375 H&H
Griffin & Howe .275 Rigby
Winchester M70 (pre-64) .30-06 & .270
"Cogito ergo venor" René Descartes on African Safari
16 March 2010, 23:00
BriceA reminder: Species is singular and plural. No such word as specie as related to biology.
Specie means coin. The word is not much in use today.
16 March 2010, 23:35
DeerdogsI am an English major in so much that I was a Major and I'm English, so I'm a retired English major now we've gone all pedantic. Back on topic, there is a book called The Language of Field Sports. It is a reprint of a book first published in the 1920s. It contains all the collective nouns you could ever wish for. I'll dig out my copy when I get home on Friday.
------------------------------
Richard
VENARI LAVARE LUDERE RIDERE OCCEST VIVERE
17 March 2010, 03:54
L. David KeithA mob of Tahr
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http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6001078232"Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading" - Thomas Jefferson
Every morning the Zebra wakes up knowing it must outrun the fastest Lion if it wants to stay alive. Every morning the Lion wakes up knowing it must outrun the slowest Zebra or it will starve. It makes no difference if you are a Zebra or a Lion; when the Sun comes up in Africa, you must wake up running......
"If you're being chased by a Lion, you don't have to be faster than the Lion, you just have to be faster than the person next to you."
17 March 2010, 04:42
Frostbitquote:
Originally posted by L. David Keith:
A mob of Tahr
I thought a mob Tahr and Feathered.
17 March 2010, 05:08
Idaho SharpshooterThis is why I am so happy that it has been sixty-plus degrees both days this week. I got to power the top down and take a few nice drives.
Cabin Fever can be a terrible thing...
Rich
17 March 2010, 18:41
Milo ShanghaiAn involuntary defecation of charging tuskless.
17 March 2010, 19:24
ddrhookShangai,
That will rune your boots