Book of st albans collective nouns

The bestknown source of many english words used for collective groupings of animals is the book of saint albans. According to jacobs, there is a direct linguistic link from gaggle to the middle english word for cackle they even look similar. Many these collective nouns are often traced to a 1486 treatise called the book of st. Albans for example, contained a list of 164 collective nouns, titled the compaynys of beestys and fowlys. Jul 20, 2012 her book, the boke of st albans, is damn near impossible to read much like canterbury tales. Albans, which includes a list, the compaynys of beestys and fowlys, with many collective nouns for animals. Albans refer to game animals, however, the book also included terms related to life and people. Albans include the the laws of ownership in falconry and numerous poetic collective nouns for animals, such as an exaltation of larks and an unkindness of ravens these appear to have invented out of whole cloth, and many of these terms were never in actual use. Collective nounsdefinition and most popular examples grammarly.

English has a tradition, traceable at least back to this book, of acquiring many such collective nouns. It was the first book in england to be printed in more than two colors. Most terms used here may be found in common dictionaries and general information web sites. You are right in preferring busyness as the collective noun for ferrets. The publication known as the book of st albans is famous for its lists, including the first printed lists of recognised breeds of dogs and of collective nouns e.

Apr 25, 2016 a murder of crows, and other collective nouns for animal groups posted on april 25, 2016 april 12, 2016 by book doctor dara collective nouns are names used to represent a group of people, animals, or things. The book of saint albans, originally printed in 1486, was a collection of advice and information on hawking, hunting, and heraldry. They know their stuff all right, but they also know that not everyone wants confusing, intheknow, techspeak for simple queries and job requests. Several other manuscripts followed, the most influential of which appeared in 1486 in the book of st albans a treatise on hunting, hawking and heraldry, written mostly in verse and attributed to the nun dame juliana barnes sometimes written berners, prioress of the priory of st mary of sopwell, near the town of st albans. Adducations list of collective nouns for people also know as collective terms and terms of venery for people can never be definitive but its fun. This term for a group of nuns, more properly referred to as a sisterhood of nuns, has existed since 1486 when it was included in the book of saint albans, or boke of seynt albansas as it was o. It also includes the oldest known list of collective nouns a medieval list of. An attempt at a rational explanation of the meanings of the collection of phrases in the book of st albans, 1486, entitled the compaynys of beestys and fowlys and similar lists, for the philological society in 1914, john hodgkin collects lists of these collective nouns found in early manuscripts and. A modern collection is james lipton, an exaltation of larks, penguin books 1968, isbn 0670300446. Image caption the boke of st albans was printed by the unidentified schoolmaster printer in the abbey gateway in the city in 1486. Once again, most were recorded in the context of hunting big game and other animals. For many animals, particularly domesticated ones, there are specific names for.

This book covered matters related to gentlemanly pursuits namely hawking, hunting, and heraldry. But this particular collective noun goes back to the 15th century, and comes from one of the most famous books on collective nouns in print. A gaggle of geese, a pride of lions, a school of fish, and. It was the last of eight books printed by the st albans press in england. I found this article that has gone to great lengths to list and extensive list of collective nouns for animals. An omission of collective nouns mind your language.

Most of them first appeared in the book of st albans in about 1500 and wasnt what youd call a book of great learning, it was full of humour, lore, and arbitrary assertions. It is the modern form of the word besynes which appeared in the book of st albans of 1486 as the proper term for ferrets, i. Most collective nouns, or terms of venery, were coined during the 15th century. Her book, the boke of st albans, is damn near impossible to read much like canterbury tales. A murder of crows, and other collective nouns for animal groups. Adducations list of collective nouns for birds also includes the individual baby names, males and females and plural for each bird species.

Do you ever refer to a gaggle of geese, a pride of lions, a school of fish. A book of collective nouns tells us the origins of a mutation of thrushes. Similar lists were compiled throughout the 15th and 16th centuries, usually under the guise of providing proper terms for gentlemen to use while hunting those beestys. The book of st albans, published around 1500 included the first list of collective nouns for people. Jan 18, 20 most collective nouns, or terms of venery, were coined during the 15th century. Included in this work was a long list of collective nouns for animals. Aug 25, 2015 the collective nouns in much of liptons book come mainly from hunting terms terms of venery, many originating in the 1486 book of st albans and similar contemporary works that lipton documents. Albans also contained a list of collective nouns of animals the ones were familiar with today like gaggle of geese as well as. In her section on hunting she publishes a lengthy list 3 pages worth of collective nouns. The book of st albans or, as spelled at the time of publication, the boke of st albans.

We all know a murder of crows, of course thats a favourite but did you also know that its an. Did you know the first list of collective nouns was published in the book of st albans circa 1500 and it wasnt definitive it was based on folklore, humor and the whim of the publisher and its. It is also known by titles that are more accurate, such as the book of hawking, hunting, and blasing of arms. It includes three sections on falconry, hunting, and heraldry. Many terms for groups of animals were first recorded in the book of st. However, new entries in the book of st albans increase again in the 1900s, when the british colonised parts of africa. It contains three essays, on hawking, hunting, and heraldry. Because they appeared in a book that had a wide readership for such a long time all these collective nouns went into general circulation. Another, from 1486, a treatise on hawking and heraldry called the book of st albans, contains some 164 collective nouns covering birds and beasts of the chase, as well as an array of human professions and trades. An exaltation of larks possesses an embarrassment of riches wink wink. The boke of st albans 1486 collective nouns 2 of 3. For many animals, particularly domesticated ones, there are specific names for males, females, young, and groups.

A group of ferrets is known as a business or busyness or historically as a fesnyng. The use of fanciful words to describe groups of animals of certain species seems to have become popular during the middle ages. One of the earliest of these books, the egerton manuscript, was published around 1450 and contains 106 collective nouns. Collective nouns are names used to represent a group of people. Albans, as it was originally known, was written by juliana. Since that publication, creating collective nouns has become a game for many of a lexicographical bent, hence the venereal game. Omitted terms such as murder of crows and parliament of rooks date from the book of st albans, a 15thcentury assortment of essays on hunting, hawking. Some terms of venery have a longstanding tradition and are actually in use in english like a pride of lions or a school of fish, but many others, going all the way back to the 15th century and the book of st. A book thought to be the first to be printed in colour in the. Collective noun wikimili, the best wikipedia reader. A murder of crows, and other collective nouns for animal. Albans, dating back to 1486, was a guide to hawking and hunting, and listed many of the collective nouns for animals we still use today. The surprising authorship of the book of st albans. The book was popular, reprinted over and over again for hundreds of years.

Your mission, should you accept it, is to add to the list. The book of saint albans gave ferrets the collective term busyness besynes, which today has become business. The boke of st albans 1486 collective nouns 3 of 3. The word venery comes from the latin word venari, which means to hunt so terms of venery refer to hunting or animals that are hunted. An omission of collective nouns mind your language media. Collective nouns for animals mammals, birds, fish, insects. It apparently is the modern form of the word besynes from the middle ages. Many collective nouns that we use today can be traced back to the book of st. Albans not only described a collection of bears as a sleuth and a group of foxes as a skulk, but linked women to geese in the. The book of saint albans or boke of seynt albans is the common title of a book printed in 1486 that is a compilation of matters relating to the interests of the time of a gentleman. Collectives for birds and animals often reflected their use to man, the superstitions and beliefs of the time.

Albans, published in 1486, and their use flourished among hunters. Oct 05, 2019 great potoo nyctibius grandis by bryan pollock 2019. Dame juliana berners or barnes or bernes was believed to have been the prioress of sopwell priory near st albans but the book is in fact a metrical form of much older. The book of saint albans is the common title of a book written in 1486. A gaggle of geese, a pride of lions, a school of fish, and more collective animal nouns. Jun 07, 2016 many these collective nouns are often traced to a 1486 treatise called the book of st. Travel why a group of hippos is called a bloat bbc. Full text of the boke of saint albans internet archive. There are many that most readers will already be familiar with, because they are commonly used today, such as. Nov 05, 2008 included in this work was a long list of collective nouns for animals. For many animals, particularly domesticated ones, there are specific names for males, females, young, and groups the bestknown source of many english words used for collective groupings of animals is the book of saint albans, an essay on hunting published in 1486 and attributed to juliana berners. The book of hawking, hunting, and heraldry is a reprint of a 1486 text known as the book of saint albans, which was printed by the st albans press and.

Many were codified in books of courtesy, like the 1486 classic book of st. The book contains, appended, a large list of special collective nouns for animals, company terms, such as gaggle of geese and the like, as in. Albans or, as spelled at the time of publication, the boke of st. Nun writes guide to flyfishing women can be priests. A group of nuns has been called a superfluity of nuns. Their etymologies have been lost over the years, but why not have a guess.

Nov 09, 2018 the true origin of many of the collective animal nouns that appear in berners compilation has been lost to time, and since the publication of the book of st albans, the terms have continued to. Most collective nouns in everyday speech are not specific to one kind of thing, such as the word group, which can be applied to people a group of people or dogs a group of dogs or other things. These are all collective nouns, which are names of a number or collection of people, animals, or things taken together and spoken of as one whole. Albans 1486, in three parts on hawking, hunting, and. Once again, most were recorded in the context of hunting big. Collective nouns for groups of animals mental floss. Many animal collective nouns may be traced to a single source, the book of st albans published in 1486, which consists of essays about hawking, hunting and heraldry. Albans was the last of 8 books printed by the st albans press in england, around 1480. Collective nouns for groups of people, fish, and other animals are diverse and numerous, and each term comes with its own fascinating history. The book of saint albans is the common title of a book printed in 1486 that is a compilation of. The book of st albans or, as spelled at the time of publication. Bbc travel why a group of hippos is called a bloat.

Albans not only described a collection of bears as a sleuth and a group of foxes as a skulk, but linked women to geese in the collective consciousness by labeling collections of both gaggles. While researching collective names, i could not help smiling at the charming turn of phrases and hints at the birds natural history. The book of saint albans well, this is what i think. How to use animal collective nouns correctly grammarist. Lupita nyongo, the new york times james lipton has performed all speakers of english a great service.

Actually, most collective nouns were coined during the 15th century when they were often codified in books of courtesy for the medieval gentleman. Posts about the book of saint albans written by stephen yolland. Jun 03, 2018 image caption the boke of st albans was printed by the unidentified schoolmaster printer in the abbey gateway in the city in 1486. Albans also contained a list of collective nouns of animals the ones were familiar with today like gaggle of geese as well as some humorous ones, including a dilligence of messengers, a melody of harpers, a blast of hunters, a subtlety of sergeants, and a superfluity of nuns.

Posted on april 25, 2016 april 12, 2016 by book doctor dara. They are terms of venery, which means that they are quite likely to have been made up just to be a bit funny and act as linguistic curios. England being a small and highly populated nation, there seems to have been a bit of a lull in collective nounery after the 1600s. The essay on hunting, in particular, is attributed to dame juliana berners. Five hundred years ago, gentlemen used specialized vocabulary when referring to groups of animals. One such publication, the book of saint albans, was popular in the 15th and 16th century and became the goto reference for these collective nouns, landing many of them in the english lexicon. The book of st albans a treatise on hunting, hawking and heraldry, written mostly. Similar lists were compiled throughout the 15th and 16th centuries, usually under the guise of providing proper terms for gentlemen to use. Collective nouns a 500yearold language fad howstuffworks. Most collective nouns in everyday speech are not specific to one kind of thing, such as the word group, which can be applied to people a group of people or dogs a group. Sometimes there are multiple collective nouns for one item. Jan 24, 2018 the book of saint albans is the common title of a book written in 1486.

First colourprinted book returns to st albans bbc news. Collective nounsdefinition and most popular examples. Discover the origins of 10 popular collective nouns here. Its worth pointing out that these collective nouns have a very artificial history compared to that of most words. The collective nouns in much of liptons book come mainly from hunting terms terms of venery, many originating in the 1486 book of st albans and similar contemporary works that lipton documents. The true origin of many of the collective animal nouns that appear in berners compilation has been lost to time, and since the publication of the book of st albans, the terms have continued to. But with poetic collective nouns like a pride of lions, a shrewdness of apes, and a conspiracy of lemurs, it seems like the hunter knew he was. The boke of st albans is part of the new st albans museums.