Inevitability
Posted by TheFallen on October 11, 2004
In Reply to: Word alterations posted by Bob on October 11, 2004
: : : : : Is it common to say-
: : : : : a *giggle* of girls meaning a group of girls giggling?
: : : : :
: : : : : and
: : : : : He is a workaholic:he *averages* twelve hours working in the office?
: : : : :
: : : : : Is *average* commonly used that way
: : : : : thanks
: : : : I've not heard that collective noun used for girls. There's no issuing authority for such though; if they get into common use they get accepted. I'd have thought that one stood a chance of a long and healthy life. Roald Dahl used a gigglehouse of girls in one of his children's stories.
: : : : Averages is commonly used that way in the UK.
: : : A *giggle* of girls seems to be a play on the word *gaggle* which refers to a group of geese on the ground. Gaggle itself isn't a very common word, as it usually applies only to geese, and I've never seen it used in the many newspaper articles about nuisance geese around here.
: : I think that collective nouns only exist to provide lists in guides to English usage. I have heard anyone refer to an 'exaltation of larks' or the like in the real world.
: Over time, the giggle of girls could become a flourish of strumpets.
...but then sadly, we'd end up with a glut of sluts.
- Inevitability David FG 12/October/04