# Grammar question - Funny nouns

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-funny-nouns/140349>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 4, 2002, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-funny-nouns/140349 "2002-12-04T03:27:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\
**Post date:** [December 4, 2002, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-funny-nouns/140349/21 "2002-12-04T19:37:57Z")

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I thought collective nouns included items like waste baskets.

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**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\
**Post date:** [December 4, 2002, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-funny-nouns/140349/22 "2002-12-04T19:37:57Z")

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Sorry, collective nouns refers to the nouns that collect like objects in their penumbrae.

Such as: a **murder** of crows; a **flock** of seagulls; a **pride** of lions; a **trey** of tarts (three hookers); a **fanfare** of strumpets (four hookers); an **anthology** of pros (five or more hookers).

Okay, I’ll stop now.

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**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\
**Post date:** [December 4, 2002, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-funny-nouns/140349/23 "2002-12-04T19:45:27Z")

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Don’t forget my favorite collective noun:

An agreement of grammarians! (as opposed to an arrangement of syntacticians)

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**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\
**Post date:** [December 4, 2002, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-funny-nouns/140349/24 "2002-12-04T19:48:34Z")

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Boy, and I thought _I_ was a grammar geek!

So can someone please explain about shrimp?

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**Author:** ![pluralgravity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/2bfe46/32.png) [@pluralgravity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pluralgravity)\
**Post date:** [December 4, 2002, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-funny-nouns/140349/25 "2002-12-04T23:43:05Z")

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wunch…  
A collective noun used in the City of London, and probably understood worldwide, to refer to a gathering of bankers.

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