Do you feel safe?

[Chas]

"Rabble" is also the collective term for gnats...or insects, in general.

Just so everyone knows...

So it might be, but that was not why it was chosen. It was chosen because it is the collective noun for butterflies.

Not for gnats, not for people running round with flaming torches and pitchforks, but for butterflies.

I am sorry if people don't like it, but there it is.

Regards

Chas

[Father Bill]

Flitter flutter, pass the butter!

[DWFII]

So it might be, but that was not why it was chosen. It was chosen because it is the collective noun for butterflies.

Not for gnats, not for people running round with flaming torches and pitchforks, but for butterflies.

I am sorry if people don't like it, but there it is.

Regards

Chas

"Rabble" as a collective noun for butterflies may be common in the UK but in the US I've never heard of it. I suspect "swarm" might be more common.

But sticking with the UK, the Concise Oxford Dictionary defines "rabble" as

• 1 a disorderly crowd.

• 2 (the rabble) ordinary people regarded as socially inferior.

If you consider that collective nouns are, and always have been, fanciful expressions people's imagination--the disorderly/erratic movement of butterflies, for instance--it's not all that hard to see "rabble" being conjured.

But what that has to do with the subject at hand, other than you didn't like what I had to say, is harder to understand.

Whatever the "collective" imagination of those who "chose" rabble to refer to a plurality of kiltwearers, I dare say butterflies isn't the first thing that comes to mind.

That said, (and as a test of its appropriateness) it might be amusing to insert "butterflies" into the conversation whenever we refer to the membership of Xmarks from now on.

"What were they thinking!?"

[Chas]

"Rabble" as a collective noun for butterflies may be common in the UK but in the US I've never heard of it. I suspect "swarm" might be more common.

But sticking with the UK, the Concise Oxford Dictionary defines "rabble" as

• 1 a disorderly crowd.

• 2 (the rabble) ordinary people regarded as socially inferior.

If you consider that collective nouns are, and always have been, fanciful expressions people's imagination--the disorderly/erratic movement of butterflies, for instance--it's not all that hard to see "rabble" being conjured.

But what that has to do with the subject at hand, other than you didn't like what I had to say, is harder to understand.

Whatever the "collective" imagination of those who "chose" rabble to refer to a plurality of kiltwearers, I dare say butterflies isn't the first thing that comes to mind.

That said, (and as a test of its appropriateness) it might be amusing to insert "butterflies" into the conversation whenever we refer to the membership of Xmarks from now on.

"What were they thinking!?"

Why do you feel the need to be argumentative?

It has nothing to do with what I like or do not like, but rather misconceptions. You and other members have misconceived or misunderstood the meaning as it is used here at X Marks the Scot.com. That is not my fault. Why are you blaming me?

The collective noun "Rabble" was chosen long before you joined XMarks. If you want to change it, go to the appropriate forum and start a thread - don't hi-jack this one.

Regards

Chas

[Father Bill]

So... here we have a thread discussing the need to be a little more tolerant of one another... and what happens? It turns into an argument. Another one.

Makes me wonder if some people just like to criticize and take shots. Hmm!

Perhaps the term "rabble" (which I normally prefer to capitalize as "Rabble" out of my own bent sense of humour) was chosen as a mildly humorous mode. It's a mood and mode that I for one find much more attractive than the grumpiness - oh, and by the way, I joined the Auld Crabbits too, but not because I wanted to fight, rather because I'm staunch in my preferences.

Now: what I DO like about the way this is going on in this thread is that the argument has been oddly and bizzarrely (is that a word?) polite even while it is adversarial. Let's just not go over the line. I did complain of offence once when it seemed that I was being called "stupid," and the other chap, I guess, felt offended that I felt offended. Good grief! I'm glad that in this particular thread, folks have had the decency to both express offence as needed, and to accept that the other has the right to feel it.

Oh Rabble, dear Rabble!

[artificer]

G'nite all. This thread is just not worth the cost of (it's free) subscription.

Onward and Upward, I say!
ith:

[Seanmadra]

Jeepers, anyone wish to argue the color/colour of the sky. I say it is blue.....without particular hue, skew, or....

But like we told the kids when they were growing up, it you don't like what is on the tv channel, change it or turn it off. Nuff said, I have things to do today.

[Riverkilt]

I don't remember "Rabble" being chosen - thought it just evolved....no memories of butterflies...maybe before my time too.

But - methinks we are beginning to prove the point of the OP.

[DWFII]

Why do you feel the need to be argumentative?

It has nothing to do with what I like or do not like, but rather misconceptions. You and other members have misconceived or misunderstood the meaning as it is used here at X Marks the Scot.com. That is not my fault. Why are you blaming me?

The collective noun "Rabble" was chosen long before you joined XMarks. If you want to change it, go to the appropriate forum and start a thread - don't hi-jack this one.

Regards

Chas

You're not a victim. No one is blaming you.

I didn't bring up the issue of "rabble" and butterflies in huge yelling/screaming(?) letters. Is that a hijack? If not, it's almost by definition argumentative.

I didn't bring up the issue of tolerance. I just followed the flow of the conversation. I'm easy that way.

Tolerance is a two-way street--part of my original point and one I have made many times before. Those who scream most loudly about tolerance and kindness and civility seem to lose all sense of it when it is their ox being gored. Then it's the other guy being intolerant or unkind or argumentative. Then it's time to shut the thread down.

And with all due respect to Father Bill, "tolerance" might suggest that most, if not all, of us who humorously, self-deprecatingly, tongue-in-cheek, refer to themselves as Auld Crabbits joined for exactly the same reasons you did.

Last word's yours...

[Chas]

But - methinks we are beginning to prove the point of the OP.

Ron - Damned if you do and damned if you don't.

Agree and the point is proved, or don't agree and prove the point by disagreeing.

"Do you still beat your wife?"

For what it is worth, I think XMarks is a lot safer today than it has been in the past.

Regards

Chas