A couple of my favourites relate to glacial deposits.
Picture if you will, a glacier slowly melting - dumping its load of boulders and bits of rock all along its path, not just at its end (for the geologically inclined - not at its 'terminal morraine'). Occassionally a large boulder will drop where no other large boulders are to be found. Once the glacier has melted one is left with a flat terrain with large boulders scattered here and there. Perhaps the most common technical term used for these is "erratic blocks".
Unfortunately Dr Robin Wass at Sydney Uni in 1978 ruined my geological and political correctness for all time. His pet term was the spooneristic, "erotic blacks". Ever since, I've really had to concentrate in order to use the correct term.
Another term for these isolated boulders (some the size of a house) is "knockers".
Once, when attending a presentation on the geology of Greenland (where knockers are a regular feature), I couldn't help myself. Just had to put up my hand and ask of the presenter, "Dr Ridley - could you comment upon whether there is any cleavage associated with those knockers?"
A rock unit's cleavage (as opposed to a crystal's cleavage) is an important component that assists geologists establish the structural history of the area).
stales
