A Conversation for GG: Goldfinches
charming birds
SiliconDioxide Started conversation Feb 16, 2015
A "charm" is the group name for goldfinches (any finch I think).
charming birds
Gnomon - time to move on Posted Feb 16, 2015
I'm always suspicious of those collective nouns. For example, if you have a number of lions, it may or may not be a pride, just as a group of humans may or may not be a family.
charming birds
SiliconDioxide Posted Feb 17, 2015
I think that the use of the collective assumes the usual relationship within a group. Lions tend not to hang around with non-pride members. A cage of finches is just that. Family isn't really a collective noun is it? I thought humans arrived in mere crowds.
charming birds
Gnomon - time to move on Posted Feb 17, 2015
Well a crowd of people is very different from a pride of lions. A pride is more like a family.
charming birds
SiliconDioxide Posted Feb 17, 2015
Certainly, yes.
I'm beginning to wonder about the possibilities of mixed collective nouns. If you have a pride of lions and a crowd of people together for example....
charming birds
Florida Sailor All is well with the world Posted Feb 17, 2015
I'll put my 
on the Pride, unless the Crowd has a few big rifles
F 
S
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