How to Treat an Unkindness of Ravens (and Other Collective Nouns)

Today Ms. Picky would like to address the hazards of an unkindness . . . and a murder. . . . and a lamentation. . . . 

No, we are not talking about mayhem in the drawing room; this blog is still about language. But, if you haven’t encountered them before, let Ms. Picky have the pleasure of introducing you to some of the small delights of the English language—the fanciful names conceived for groups of birds:

A murmuration of crows . . . a pitying of doves . . . a paddling of ducks . . . a convocation of eagles . . . a charm of finches . . . a scold of jays . . . an exultation of larks . . . a murder of magpies . . . a watch of nightingales . . . a congress of owls . . . a pandemonium of parrots . . . an ostentation of peacocks . . . a bouquet of pheasant . . . an unkindness of ravens . . . a scurry of squirrels . . . a gulp of swallows . . . a lamentation of swans. . . 

All of these groups are collective nouns—as are many other, less-colorful words, like company (of actors), host (of angels), staff (of employees), band (of musicians), congregation (of worshippers), and faculty (of professors).

Q. Should collective nouns be treated as singular or plural? 

A. It all depends. 

In terms of referential pronouns, if the members of the collective are referred to only as a group, the collective noun is treated as singular, and takes a singular referential pronoun:

The herd had begun its annual migration. 

But, if the members of the collective are referred to as individuals, the collective is treated as plural, and takes a plural referential pronoun:

After feasting on the wildebeest, 

the pride went their separate ways.

Q. Is it more correct to say, “the couple are” or “the couple is”?

A. It all depends. 

“Couple” is also a collective noun, albeit a collective that has only two members. If you indicate that the couple is operating as two distinct members, then it is correct to use the plural form of the verb, e.g., 

“The couple are going to buy matching tee shirts.”

If, however, you indicate that “the couple” is operating as a unit, then it is correct to use the singular form of the verb, e.g., 

“The couple is going to buy a new car. ”

That said, a collective noun being considered as a single unit—even if it is followed by a prepositional phrase defining that unit as individual members—takes a singular verb. 

Correct:  

A gaggle of geese was gathering around the picnic area. 

Incorrect:

A gaggle of geese were gathering around the picnic area.

“Geese,” here, though plural, is not the subject of the sentence; “gaggle” is, and, since gaggle is a singular collective noun, it takes a singular verb. 

And so, although Ms. Picky absolutely deplores being wishy-washy about anything, . . . the answer to the question of whether collective nouns should be treated as singular or plural, can only be: It all depends. 

________

 Journalism Wall of Shame

The Journalism Wall of Shame displays errors in grammar, punctuation, or language that have appeared recently in the press. Submissions are welcome. Please include the publication's name and date, the story title, and the reporter's name. The publication of these errors in no way places blame for them on a particular person. Sometimes it is the reporter, sometimes the editor, sometimes the headline writer, but—somewhere in the system—somebody should have known better.

“The rating companies have signaled the plan would trigger because it is being done to avoid default, so couldn’t be considered voluntary, and because investors would be worse off by holding the new securities.” 

—“Trichet May Save Face With S&P, Fitch Greece Moves: Euro Credit,” Bloomberg.com, July 5, 2011 (reporters Boris Groendahl and Dakin Campbell, editors  David Scheer and Angela Cullen)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

With this sentence, Ms. Picky hardly knows where to begin, but she will try. First of all, “trigger” is a transitive verb (meaning it takes an object), and, as such, its subject, “the plan,” would have to trigger something; it cannot just trigger.  

Next, “so” seems to have been used as a conjunction, when it is not. It would have been preferable to insert either a conjunction or a semicolon before “so.” 

And, finally, 

“. . . investors would be worse off by holding the new securities” should be: “. . . investors would be worse off if they were holding the new securities,” 

or even 

 “. . . investors would be worse off with the new securities.”

Ms. Picky could go on, but lack of space, unfortunately, prohibits further comment.

 ___________

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