Rhinocerous

[brionon]

On a Quizz the answer to the question 'What is Collective noun for a group of Rhino's' the answer was 'The Correct answer is Crash' {or Clash} My question is -Who says ? We have no Acadamy for our language and ,I'm sure ,this word is fairly recent ,so how can it be Correct ?

[Clanad]

Actually, most sources indicate the use of "Crash" as common for several years. Some sites indicate "A Stubborness', but that appears to be more recent. As to "Who says?" Words shift in and out of our language... in other words, shift happens. I see "wetware" used to indicate the human brain when discussing 'software' and 'hardware' in computerese... it just started somewhere and couaght on...In my opinion...

[warpig3]

Clanad, I have been looking for you for ages! Just wanted to say that I finally made your recipe for sunblush tomatoes and they were delicious! Thank you.

Sorry brionon, didn't mean to intrude!

[brionon]

I know the language changes -it's the word ,used by the BBC, 'Correct' that I take issue with.

[Clanad]

Good, warpig3... enjoy!

[Clanad]

By the way, warpig, this wasn't a relative or anything, wa sit? Certainly looks like a warpig to me!

http://www.philly.com/philly/wires/ap/features /7691922.html

(Sorry brionon )

[Quizmonster]

One meaning of 'correct', according to Chambers Dictionary, is 'according to standard'. So - in such instances as you are referring to here, Brionon - a word just becomes accepted after a while as the 'standard' and is thereafter described as 'correct'.
You or anyone else is perfectly at liberty to start saying that a group of rhinoceroses is called a 'breenge' - not inapt, actually! - and see whether it catches on.

[heathfield]

Can't help feeling sorry for the hog, though.

[brionon]

If this word were Standard it would not be a Quizz question.
For every one would know it and not just a few 'Insiders'.
It's like introducing Greek or Latin words for {example} fear of hights and then asking us what these words'' mean''.
As if our children don't have enough to learn without self-important idiots making life harder.
What ,I ask you, is wrong with 'Herd' or 'Fear of hights'' ?
I would say, Nothing -except they are English and ordinary.

[Quizmonster]

Well, putting rhinoceros+crash into the Google slot throws up over a million hits. Of course, not all instances will be using the word 'crash' as a collective noun but many will. That would seem to suggest that it is now really quite 'standard'!
One reason for my user-name is the fact that I ran weekly pub-quizzes in several different pubs for years on end not that long ago. I wouldn't have thought twice about whether I could ask about a 'crash' of rhinos, as I've known about that name for years.
Surely the whole point about a quiz is that not everyone will know any given answer...otherwise everyone would win!
But what the hey...I'll leave it at that.

[jno]

you can't 'herd' rhinos the way you herd sheep, so some would say the word was inappropriate. As for fear of heights, nothing wrong with that but if you want to put it in one word, acrophobia is the one. It isn't Latin or Greek any more than 'bonus' is, it's English. Kids are mostly not scared of new words and I shouldn't think there's any need to protect them from words at all.

[THECORBYLOON]

The fact that you did not know a group of rhinos is called a crash does not make it wrong. QM suggested using the word "breenge" as an alternative, I know what that means but many won't. No-one knows every word and I doubt you'll have much call to speak about a "crash of rhinos" unless it's in a quiz.

[warpig3]

Clanad, thats my second cousin twice removed, Napoleon, he has put on a bit of weight since I last saw him, but he probably deserved what he got, he was a rogue pig anyway.

I actually saw this on the tv tonight, do they really grow that big?

Again, apologies Brionon.