26 - Wednesday, February 20, 1991 - North Shore News

A celebration of sources

mit, a confusing and often frustrating language.

F NGLISH IS, as even native speakers will ruefully ad-

Despite its many perplex-

ing and annoying idiosyncrasies,
this opportunistic amalgam of
Greek, Latin, Old French, Anglo-
Saxon and other tongues is a
linguistic medium with an unlimi-
ted potential for the expression of
beauty and whimsy.

Anyone who doubts this need
look no further than James Lip-
ton’s An Exaltation of Larks
(Viking; 324 pp.; $24.95).

First published in 1968 (and
never out of print since its initial
release), An Exaltation of Larks is
now available in a new, expanded
edition which should delight even
the most casual English speaker.

_ An Exaltation of Larks is a cele-
bration of cotlectives, from the
common (such as a “‘swarm’’ of
bees or a “‘bunch’’ of grapes) to
the uncommon and even archaic:
a “‘cete” of badgers, a ‘‘skutk’’

of foxes, a ‘‘slice’’ of pantrymen
ora “frieze’’ of virgins.

There were, in fact, nouns of
multitude or assemblage for any-
thing that flew, swam, walked or
crawled (and even inanimate ob-
jects), many codified during the
15th century according to Lipton
whose fascination with this often
overlooked facet of English has
made him a recognized expert in
the field.

Devising appropriate group
terms even developed into a
sometimes acrimonious sport as
proponents sparred with each
other over whose company terra
was most accurate.

Lipton has traced the origins of
hundreds of such collective nouns,
many of which have been replac-
ed in common speech and writing
with bland equivalents that impart
nothing of the poetry of their an-
tecedents.

Today, for example, we refer to -

a group of mallard ducks as a
“flock” of mallards yet, as Lipton
demonstrates, the proper terms
(there are several in this case) are
far more evocative: a “flush’’ or
“sort” (sorde, sourde) of
mallards.

“the term “‘fflushe” (archa-
ic) is onomatopoeic, and is so
called from the manner in which
they rise from the water ... but the
term generally used in connection
with mallards is sort, sorde, sourde

Image - 18x2512

THE ANCIENT RELATIONSHIP

Between Wolves and their Prey

As it once was, As it stillis in a few places,
and, perhaps as it will be again.

Time Limited edition print by Nancy Glazier.
Deposit $50.
Orders accepted up to March 29, 1991

BILTON’S ART CENTRE

109 East Ist Street, N. Van.

Member Professional Picture Framers Assoctation

MIKE
STEELE

book review

from the Latin surgere, to rise.”

Thus we have a ‘‘dray’’ of
squirrels {their nests were once
called ‘‘drayes’’), an ‘‘unkind-
ness’’ of ravens (based on their
habit, according to legend, of
pushing their offspring from their
nests) and a “mute’’ of hounds
— from the Old French
“meute,’’ meaning a pack or
kennel.

A sampling of some of the other
collective nouns Lipton has unear-
thed includes: a ‘‘cowardice”’ of
curs, a “siege” of herons, a
“labor’’ of moles, a ‘“‘hover’’ of
trout, a ‘‘tabernacle’’ of bakers
and, the source of his book’s title,
an ‘exaltation’ of lacks.

Yet Lipton has not been content
to simply rescue older terms from
obscurity; he has actively pursued
the once honorable art of devising
group nouns that described with
accuracy (and not infrequently
humor) new words intraduced to
the English language.

Noting that there is seldom a
specific collective noun far more
recent additions to our lexicon,
Lipton suggests the following: a
“skim’’ of embezzlers, a
“wince” of dentists, a ‘‘sieaze”’
of tabloids, a “peek’’ of gossip
columnists, a “keyhole” of
voyeurs and a ‘euphemism’ of
escort services.

While these and other terms
championed by the author may
seem mischievous at best, it
should be borne in mind that they
are no less deliberate than those
chosen by English speakers and
writers of several hundred years
ago. They are certainly more col-
orful than the Orwellian reduc-
tions that are robbing this lan-
guage of much of its charm and
breadth of expression.

In all, An Exaltation of Larks

Price $200.00

Bank credit cards accepted

985-4033

contains over 1,000 terms, new
and old, accompanied by 250
engravings (rendered in much the
same style as that favored by edi-
torial cartocnists of the 19th cen-
tury and earlier) and a rather
unusual index.

The latter comprises a blank of
the left side followed by ‘‘of’’ and
the noun described (e.g., ------ —- of
Lawyers) in alphabetical order.

Not only can readers quickly
locate a specific noun, but they
are also provided with the space
and opportunity to insert group
names of their own choosing.

An Exaltation of Larks is an
amusing, useful and even
thought-provoking title for which
Lipton earns full marks.

Next Week

Anecdotes, anyone? BOOKS
NOW takes a look at the lighter
side of life with a mirth-filled,
behind-the-scenes romp through
Broadway, Hollywood, the Cana-
dian diplomatic corps and our
beloved legal system.

eo

A lucky winner and guest will get picked up in a
chauffered limousine and be taken to the Queen
Elizabeth Theatre for the Juno Champagne Reception ©
and Awards Show. Afterwards your limousine
will take you to dinner at _
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then home.

Limousine
courtesy:

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Dinner tor 2 courtesy:

Café ROMA