Word alterations

Posted by Brian from Shawnee on October 11, 2004

In Reply to: Word alterations posted by Gary on October 11, 2004

: : Is it common to say-
: : a *giggle* of girls meaning a group of girls giggling?

: :

: : and

: : He is a workaholic:he *averages* twelve hours working in the office?

: :
: : Is *average* commonly used that way

: : thanks

: I've not heard that collective noun used for girls. There's no issuing authority for such though; if they get into common use they get accepted. I'd have thought that one stood a chance of a long and healthy life. Roald Dahl used a gigglehouse of girls in one of his children's stories.

: Averages is commonly used that way in the UK.

A *giggle* of girls seems to be a play on the word *gaggle* which refers to a group of geese on the ground. Gaggle itself isn't a very common word, as it usually applies only to geese, and I've never seen it used in the many newspaper articles about nuisance geese around here.

• Word alterations David FG 11/October/04
  • Word alterations Bob 11/October/04
    • Inevitability TheFallen 11/October/04
      • Inevitability David FG 12/October/04