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stranger
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OP
stranger
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 2 |
is there a word which means 'collective noun' ?
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Joined: Dec 2000
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old hand
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old hand
Joined: Dec 2000
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Your query is a little unclear, David. Do you mean a word that groups collective nouns together?
E.g: A lexicon of collective nouns. <grin>
A collective noun (i.e. a noun that denotes a collection things) otherwise acts as a way of what I would call unitary grouping. That's just me.
Incidentally, there are plenty of other threads on collective nouns waiting behind the 'Search' button in the top right.
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stranger
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OP
stranger
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 2 |
My query is whether there is a word which has, as its DEFINITION, a collective noun (not one particular collective noun, but all of them).
This would be analogous to "eponym", which refers to ALL places/diseases etc derived from a person's name.
I have already checked the listings of collective nouns on this site, but it was no help with this question.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
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Welcome, David--delighted to have another Aussie!  We had another medical student from Australia a couple of months ago, but I can't recall the screen name. I couldn't find anything re: your question, but tsuwm will know.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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well guys, not every concept absolutely has to have a single word to describe it. this particular concept falls into a *class of common nouns which are all identified, quite adequately perhaps, by a set of adjectives; thus, collective nouns, abstract nouns, material nouns. in other words, I know of no such word.... BTW, here is the usage note from the AHD: In American usage, a collective noun takes a singular verb when it refers to the collection
considered as a whole, as in The family was united on this question. The enemy is
suing for peace. It takes a plural verb when it refers to the members of the group
considered as individuals, as in My family are always fighting among themselves. The
enemy were showing up in groups of three or four to turn in their weapons. In
British usage, however, collective nouns are more often treated as plurals: The
government have not announced a new policy. The team are playing in the test
matches next week. A collective noun should not be treated as both singular and plural in
the same construction; thus The family is determined to press its (not their) claim.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Since there is no official word for "collective nouns" how about some of our Latin and Greek scholars trying to outdo each other in coining one? Just to be a good sport, anticipating ridicule, I suggest "sortcohort". Incidentally, I always thought the collective noun pastime originated in the late seventeen hundreds. But I found a site claiming to have a list of ones current in the fifteenth century. http://lonestar.texas.net/~rferrell/collects2.html
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Joined: Mar 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Wow, thank you, Dr. Bill. That is worth looking at, esp. the names for groups of humans, notably: A nonpatience of wives and An abominable sight of monks.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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I second that thanks, Dr. Bill! Print copied it! Especially liked "a worship of writers." I guess that's what we all are here on AWADtalk...a worship of writers!
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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The Oxford Dictionary of English Grammar has a cross reference from collective noun to plurale tantum .
A plurale tantum is a word which is always plural such as binoculars or clothes. Some people also classify words such as arms (where the singular does exist but with a different meaning (upper limb versus weapons)) as pluralia tantum (the plural of plurale tantum in case you were wondering).
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