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January 5th, 2005

An immensity of

An immensity of…somethings. I think that should be the collective name for some animal. A pride of lions: quite suitable for a top predator, good. A gaggle of geese: alliterative pleasure, vaguely onomatopoeic. A scurry of squirrels, an intrusion of cockroaches, a stand of flamingos: clearly this is an area of language that invites neologistical wit. Yet unfortunately it seems all the best, second-best, middlin’, third rate and obscure animals are taken. Thus we are forced to expand our congregation search to things mineral, vegetable and otherwise. Let’s try a few.

An immensity of: * potato chips * porno magazines * Americans * Oprahs * Internets * Kevin Smith movies * Badgers (Damn! Taken! It’s a ‘cete’.) * Wincklers?

Please help me add to the potential immensities.

p.s. Thanks to a thread on dictForum for directing me to search inside a book on Amazon for collective names.

3 Responses to “An immensity of”

  1. b Says:
    January 5th, 2005 at 1:28 pm

    pinwheels umbrellas trolls wishes maps

    I like that a prickle is a group of porcupines.

    I think there should also be a group called a tickle. But a tickle of what?

  2. Nicole Sikora Heschong Says:
    January 5th, 2005 at 2:56 pm

    Good question. Perhaps a tickle of peacocks, since their feathers can be used as tickle torture devices? :) Unfortunately, they are already an “ostentation” or a “muster.” BORING.

    I found this page very amusing: http://birding.about.com/library/weekly/aa032700a.htm

    …especially the part about having a “peep of chickens.”

  3. (anonymous) Says:
    January 6th, 2005 at 5:36 pm

    I think you’re way off if you’re trying for an immensity of Wincklers. We couldn’t fill an average size bathroom.

    [If you're a Winckler, would you please leave your name? --Dan.]