# \-monger. Why just fish & whores? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 8, 2014, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monger-why-just-fish-whores/678278 "2014-01-08T15:30:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monger-why-just-fish-whores/678278/21 "2014-01-08T16:36:37Z")
> [@hyjyljyj](#): > > I’ve never heard it to rhyme with hunger UK, it pretty much always rhymes with “hunger” over here. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monger-why-just-fish-whores/678278/22 "2014-01-08T16:51:04Z")
Don’t forget the \*\* Hatemonger\*\* > **[Fantastic Four #21 - The Hate Monger (Issue)](https://comicvine.gamespot.com/fantastic-four-the-hate-monger/4000-6826/)** ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monger-why-just-fish-whores/678278/23 "2014-01-08T17:06:37Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Don’t forget the \*\* Hatemonger\*\* > > [http://www.comicvine.com/fantastic-four-the-hate-monger/4000-6826/](http://www.comicvine.com/fantastic-four-the-hate-monger/4000-6826/) [Then there are those who hate the hatemongers…](http://i681.photobucket.com/albums/vv174/kayaker01/P2170140_zpsfacca1c9.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monger-why-just-fish-whores/678278/24 "2014-01-08T17:31:12Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Merriam Webster indicates that the correct pronunciation is “munger.” I suspect as the word has become rarer people tend to pronounce it as it is spelled since they don’t often hear it said. That seems to be happening with more and more words, as the world dumbs down. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monger-why-just-fish-whores/678278/25 "2014-01-08T17:39:37Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > When I visited Spain, I kept seeing stores called “Ferreteria.” Out of total ignorance, I thought they were cafeterias specializing in ferret meat. Then I peeked inside one, and discovered that they were hardware stores . . . ironmongers’ stores. Seeing the signs for the “Ferreteria” is one of my favorite parts of a trip to the Home Despot or Lowes. I always want to swing through to see if they’ve got any great deals on ferrets. 🙂 Meanwhile, I suppose a shopping mall is a mongermonger of sorts. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monger-why-just-fish-whores/678278/26 "2014-01-08T17:48:05Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > That seems to be happening with more and more words, as the world dumbs down. This may come as a surprise but nothing mandates the pronunciation of a word beyond the communal agreement of that language’s speakers. It has nothing to do with dumbing down and has been a function of language since we have records for. ---
**Author:** ![jayhonk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/db5fbb/32.png) [@jayhonk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayhonk)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monger-why-just-fish-whores/678278/27 "2014-01-08T17:55:17Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I think that it’s just that the word survived for products that have existed since the word was common. > [@Nava](#): > > The most usual word has changed most from the original common root, the least usual ones have changed least. > [@Colibri](#): > > I suspect as the word has become rarer people tend to pronounce it as it is spelled since they don’t often hear it said. Interesting, interesting, and interesting. I am not sure these all push pronunciation changes in the same direction. Any real linguistics want to chime in here, or just all us armchair ones…? ---
**Author:** ![leahcim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b4bc9f/32.png) [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monger-why-just-fish-whores/678278/28 "2014-01-08T17:57:54Z")
I wonder if [MongoDB](http://www.mongodb.org/)’s sales reps have “Mongomonger” on their business cards. If they don’t, they should. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monger-why-just-fish-whores/678278/29 "2014-01-08T18:13:34Z")
Don’t forget the [Necromongers](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chronicles_of_Riddick_%28franchise%29#Necromongers). ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monger-why-just-fish-whores/678278/30 "2014-01-08T19:06:41Z")
> [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](#): > > Costermonger. Hollywood assholes who greenlight shitty movies? ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monger-why-just-fish-whores/678278/31 "2014-01-08T19:32:55Z")
The SDMB has the worst of the worst. Quarrymongers. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monger-why-just-fish-whores/678278/32 "2014-01-08T19:36:09Z")
It makes sense for a Home Despot to be good at ironwork. ETA: I bet half of you don’t know what a coster is ::heads to dictionary:: ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monger-why-just-fish-whores/678278/33 "2014-01-08T19:57:25Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > It makes sense for a Home Despot to be good at ironwork. > > ETA: I bet half of you don’t know what a coster is ::heads to dictionary:: I bet half have read the thread. [QUOTE=luce\_gilmore in post 7] costermongers (selling fruit from barrows in London) [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monger-why-just-fish-whores/678278/34 "2014-01-08T20:08:15Z")
> [@Crotalus](#): > > I bet half have read the thread. 1. :smack: 2. For years I vaguely associated the word with “custard apple,” a fruit which shows up in a few dirty jokes in Shakespeare, and had always been meaning to look up a picture. But, still, :smack:. Although I’ll check the etymology on the thin chance I can regain some honor. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monger-why-just-fish-whores/678278/35 "2014-01-08T20:15:42Z")
> [@jayhonk](#): > > Interesting, interesting, and interesting. > I am not sure these all push pronunciation changes in the same direction. > Any real linguistics want to chime in here, or just all us armchair ones…? Well, mine was about Spanish, so not exactly! ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monger-why-just-fish-whores/678278/36 "2014-01-08T20:30:30Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > ETA: I bet half of you don’t know what a coster is ::heads to dictionary:: At least I know it’s not a Cost_n_er. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monger-why-just-fish-whores/678278/37 "2014-01-08T20:47:26Z")
**Crotalus**? ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2014, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monger-why-just-fish-whores/678278/38 "2014-01-09T00:57:54Z")
John Finnemore did a series of sketches about a band of superhero “mongers” (WAR-monger, SCARE-monger, etc.), and I seem to remember that COSTER-monger was drafted in at some point, accompanied by gags about how nobody actually knew what a “coster” was. ---
**Author:** ![JBDivmstr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b4bc9f/32.png) [@JBDivmstr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JBDivmstr)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2014, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monger-why-just-fish-whores/678278/39 "2014-01-09T04:57:33Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Don’t forget the [Necromongers](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chronicles_of_Riddick_%28franchise%29#Necromongers). nm Ninja’d by **Mangetout**! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2014, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monger-why-just-fish-whores/678278/40 "2014-01-09T05:34:55Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I think that it’s just that the word survived for products that have existed since the word was common. Some things that people used to mong a lot, they don’t any more, so those mongers have fallen out of common use. You mean like bread, cloth, grain, wax, meat, etc? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monger-why-just-fish-whores/678278.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monger-why-just-fish-whores/678278.md?page=3)