Did you know Brains On host Molly Bloom likes to collect things? Oh yeah, she has a collection of doorknobs, stickers, Dolly Parton-themed rugs, and even a collection of collective nouns! Her collection of collective nouns is so great she has a new game just to show them off. Join producers Sanden Totten and Ruby Guthrie as they play Noun noun!
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SUBJECT 1: Now entering Brains On headquarters.
MOLLY BLOOM: Hey there, smarty pal. I was just on my way to meet producers Ruby Guthrie and Sanden Totten for lunch. I have a new project that I am so excited to tell them about. Oh, there they are. Ruby, Sanden, over here!
RUBY GUTHRIE: Hi, Molly.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Hey, Molly.
RUBY GUTHRIE: So Molly, what's this new project all about? You've been hinting at it all week.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Ruby, it's only Tuesday.
RUBY GUTHRIE: Ruby Tuesday that is. Yeah, all week. Let's hear it, Molly.
MOLLY BLOOM: OK. So you both know that I love to collect things. I've got my doorknob collection, my sticker collection, my Dolly Parton themed rug collection.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Ah, of course, the Dolly Parton rug collection, that's legendary.
MOLLY BLOOM: Well, I am thrilled to announce that I am now collecting collective nouns.
[CRICKETS]
I see from your perplexed expressions that I should explain. A collective noun is a word for a group of animals like a flock of chickens or a pack of wolves. But that's just the start. You may have heard that a group of crows is called a murder of crows, or a group of bees is a colony of bees.
RUBY GUTHRIE: Oh, yeah. Like a herd of horses. Cool. So you have a whole collection of those?
SANDEN TOTTEN: Wait, I'm sorry, you're collecting words. That doesn't really--
MOLLY BLOOM: Yeah. I'm keeping them in this binder here. It's pretty hefty. And I thought it would be super fun to see if you two can guess some of my favorite names for animal groups. Are you ready to play?
SANDEN TOTTEN: Ready to play what?
MOLLY BLOOM: The newest game taking the world by storm, Name That Noun.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
OK. I will give you a point for each answer you get right. And I may also award bonus points for creative guesses. The person with the most points will get to join the collective noun, pantheon of champions. OK, here we go. Sanden, what is the collective noun for a group of lions?
SANDEN TOTTEN: Oh, Molly, this one is easy. As a many time watcher of The Lion King, I know that a group of lions is called a pride. Roar.
MOLLY BLOOM: Correct.
RUBY GUTHRIE: Wow.
MOLLY BLOOM: OK, Ruby, what is the collective noun for a group of whales?
RUBY GUTHRIE: Ooh, like a whopper of whales. Wait, I think actually-- I think I know this one. Aren't whales like dolphins? Is it a pod of whales?
MOLLY BLOOM: Correct, Ruby.
RUBY GUTHRIE: Ahh!
MOLLY BLOOM: OK, Sanden, what is the collective noun for a group of jellyfish?
SANDEN TOTTEN: Ooh. OK, so I'm thinking jelly. I'm thinking jar. A jar of jellyfish, but then not quite. Maybe they're kind of globular. Maybe a blob of jellyfish. Or they could be like fish. It could be a school of jellyfish because they are in the water. I'm going to go with neither of those. I'm going to go with a flotilla of jellyfish.
MOLLY BLOOM: I love that guess. I'm giving you points for creativity. But the correct answer is a smack of jellyfish.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Oh. I should have stuck with jelly and then gone to Smucker's. And Smucker's sounds like smack. I see how they did that. The logic is there.
MOLLY BLOOM: OK, Ruby, it's your turn. What is the collective noun for a group of owls?
RUBY GUTHRIE: Ooh. I love it. Like a hoot, a hoot of owls. I think-- oh, Harry Potter might serve me here. I think it's like British government and the iconic funk band. Parliament of owls, is that something?
MOLLY BLOOM: You are correct.
RUBY GUTHRIE: Ha-ha.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Oh.
RUBY GUTHRIE: Yes.
SANDEN TOTTEN: And are those owls wearing curly white wigs when they're in a parliament.
RUBY GUTHRIE: Always.
MOLLY BLOOM: Absolutely.
RUBY GUTHRIE: Always.
MOLLY BLOOM: OK, Sanden, your turn. What is the collective noun for a group of lemurs?
SANDEN TOTTEN: Oh my gosh, what's a lemur again?
MOLLY BLOOM: They kind of look like meerkats.
RUBY GUTHRIE: Zooboomafoo.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Oh. OK, taking it back to Lion King, speaking the language I understand. They're like meerkats--
MOLLY BLOOM: No, lemurs in Madagascar, Madagascar movie.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, with the stripy tails.
MOLLY BLOOM: King Julian.
SANDEN TOTTEN: That's right. That's right.
(SINGING) I like to move it, move it.
Yeah, OK.
MOLLY BLOOM: Exactly.
[LAUGHS]
SANDEN TOTTEN: (SINGING) We like to move it.
OK. A group of lemurs is called a dance floor of lemurs.
MOLLY BLOOM: Yes! Another point for creativity there, but not correct. The answer is a conspiracy.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Oh, they're up to no good. Let me join in. I love it.
MOLLY BLOOM: They are.
RUBY GUTHRIE: Oh, sneaky.
MOLLY BLOOM: Sneaky little lemurs. The owls are making laws but the lemurs are making plans.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Hmm, I knew we would get along.
MOLLY BLOOM: All right, here's the last one. Ruby, what is the collective noun for a group of hyenas?
RUBY GUTHRIE: Oh. Wow. Shout out Lion King for the third time.
[LAUGHTER]
I think hyenas love to laugh. I wonder if it's like a cackle of hyenas. That would be cool. Cackle of hyenas.
MOLLY BLOOM: Is that your guess?
RUBY GUTHRIE: Yeah. I think that sounds cool. Cackle of highly-- it sounds cool, but I can't say it.
MOLLY BLOOM: Robin Guthrie is on fire because she is correct.
RUBY GUTHRIE: That's right? Oh. Woo. Shout out Lion King. Hakuna Matata.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Wow.
RUBY GUTHRIE: I mean a fitting name, but I really didn't think that was the real answer.
MOLLY BLOOM: Well, you didn't--
RUBY GUTHRIE: Or like a hysteria of hyenas.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Oh, that's even better, the double H's, yeah.
RUBY GUTHRIE: Letteration, we love it.
MOLLY BLOOM: Well, great job too. Those are only some of my favorites. There are definitely more than I'm saving for later, though.
RUBY GUTHRIE: Kind of makes me wonder what would you call a group of Brains On producers.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Oh, fabulous question, Ruby. Oh, how about a confetti, a confetti of producers.
MOLLY BLOOM: Ooh.
RUBY GUTHRIE: Ooh. I love that, so festive. How about fiesta? No wait, frolic.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Oh, yes. We're totally a frolic. Oh, or a boogie woogie, a boogie woogie of producers coming to the studio.
RUBY GUTHRIE: Ooh. To boogie woogie. What about an earful?
SANDEN TOTTEN: Hmm, I mean, maybe when Mark and me are really yapping maybe, but-- what about you, Molly, what do you think we called?
MOLLY BLOOM: A hug, a hug of producers because I love you all so much.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Aww, get in here.
MOLLY BLOOM: Aww. Group hug. OK, I'm adding all of these to my collection.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
That's it for this Smarty Pass episode. It was made by Aron Woldeslassie and Anna Goldfield. Our executive producer is Beth Perlman. And the executives in charge of APM Studios are Chandra Kavati, Joanne Griffith, and Alex Schaffert. Brains On is a non-profit public radio program. Thanks, smarty pass friends. We appreciate you. See ya!
RUBY GUTHRIE: Bye.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Later, smartie pals.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
MOLLY BLOOM: Hey there, smarty pal. I was just on my way to meet producers Ruby Guthrie and Sanden Totten for lunch. I have a new project that I am so excited to tell them about. Oh, there they are. Ruby, Sanden, over here!
RUBY GUTHRIE: Hi, Molly.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Hey, Molly.
RUBY GUTHRIE: So Molly, what's this new project all about? You've been hinting at it all week.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Ruby, it's only Tuesday.
RUBY GUTHRIE: Ruby Tuesday that is. Yeah, all week. Let's hear it, Molly.
MOLLY BLOOM: OK. So you both know that I love to collect things. I've got my doorknob collection, my sticker collection, my Dolly Parton themed rug collection.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Ah, of course, the Dolly Parton rug collection, that's legendary.
MOLLY BLOOM: Well, I am thrilled to announce that I am now collecting collective nouns.
[CRICKETS]
I see from your perplexed expressions that I should explain. A collective noun is a word for a group of animals like a flock of chickens or a pack of wolves. But that's just the start. You may have heard that a group of crows is called a murder of crows, or a group of bees is a colony of bees.
RUBY GUTHRIE: Oh, yeah. Like a herd of horses. Cool. So you have a whole collection of those?
SANDEN TOTTEN: Wait, I'm sorry, you're collecting words. That doesn't really--
MOLLY BLOOM: Yeah. I'm keeping them in this binder here. It's pretty hefty. And I thought it would be super fun to see if you two can guess some of my favorite names for animal groups. Are you ready to play?
SANDEN TOTTEN: Ready to play what?
MOLLY BLOOM: The newest game taking the world by storm, Name That Noun.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
OK. I will give you a point for each answer you get right. And I may also award bonus points for creative guesses. The person with the most points will get to join the collective noun, pantheon of champions. OK, here we go. Sanden, what is the collective noun for a group of lions?
SANDEN TOTTEN: Oh, Molly, this one is easy. As a many time watcher of The Lion King, I know that a group of lions is called a pride. Roar.
MOLLY BLOOM: Correct.
RUBY GUTHRIE: Wow.
MOLLY BLOOM: OK, Ruby, what is the collective noun for a group of whales?
RUBY GUTHRIE: Ooh, like a whopper of whales. Wait, I think actually-- I think I know this one. Aren't whales like dolphins? Is it a pod of whales?
MOLLY BLOOM: Correct, Ruby.
RUBY GUTHRIE: Ahh!
MOLLY BLOOM: OK, Sanden, what is the collective noun for a group of jellyfish?
SANDEN TOTTEN: Ooh. OK, so I'm thinking jelly. I'm thinking jar. A jar of jellyfish, but then not quite. Maybe they're kind of globular. Maybe a blob of jellyfish. Or they could be like fish. It could be a school of jellyfish because they are in the water. I'm going to go with neither of those. I'm going to go with a flotilla of jellyfish.
MOLLY BLOOM: I love that guess. I'm giving you points for creativity. But the correct answer is a smack of jellyfish.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Oh. I should have stuck with jelly and then gone to Smucker's. And Smucker's sounds like smack. I see how they did that. The logic is there.
MOLLY BLOOM: OK, Ruby, it's your turn. What is the collective noun for a group of owls?
RUBY GUTHRIE: Ooh. I love it. Like a hoot, a hoot of owls. I think-- oh, Harry Potter might serve me here. I think it's like British government and the iconic funk band. Parliament of owls, is that something?
MOLLY BLOOM: You are correct.
RUBY GUTHRIE: Ha-ha.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Oh.
RUBY GUTHRIE: Yes.
SANDEN TOTTEN: And are those owls wearing curly white wigs when they're in a parliament.
RUBY GUTHRIE: Always.
MOLLY BLOOM: Absolutely.
RUBY GUTHRIE: Always.
MOLLY BLOOM: OK, Sanden, your turn. What is the collective noun for a group of lemurs?
SANDEN TOTTEN: Oh my gosh, what's a lemur again?
MOLLY BLOOM: They kind of look like meerkats.
RUBY GUTHRIE: Zooboomafoo.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Oh. OK, taking it back to Lion King, speaking the language I understand. They're like meerkats--
MOLLY BLOOM: No, lemurs in Madagascar, Madagascar movie.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, with the stripy tails.
MOLLY BLOOM: King Julian.
SANDEN TOTTEN: That's right. That's right.
(SINGING) I like to move it, move it.
Yeah, OK.
MOLLY BLOOM: Exactly.
[LAUGHS]
SANDEN TOTTEN: (SINGING) We like to move it.
OK. A group of lemurs is called a dance floor of lemurs.
MOLLY BLOOM: Yes! Another point for creativity there, but not correct. The answer is a conspiracy.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Oh, they're up to no good. Let me join in. I love it.
MOLLY BLOOM: They are.
RUBY GUTHRIE: Oh, sneaky.
MOLLY BLOOM: Sneaky little lemurs. The owls are making laws but the lemurs are making plans.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Hmm, I knew we would get along.
MOLLY BLOOM: All right, here's the last one. Ruby, what is the collective noun for a group of hyenas?
RUBY GUTHRIE: Oh. Wow. Shout out Lion King for the third time.
[LAUGHTER]
I think hyenas love to laugh. I wonder if it's like a cackle of hyenas. That would be cool. Cackle of hyenas.
MOLLY BLOOM: Is that your guess?
RUBY GUTHRIE: Yeah. I think that sounds cool. Cackle of highly-- it sounds cool, but I can't say it.
MOLLY BLOOM: Robin Guthrie is on fire because she is correct.
RUBY GUTHRIE: That's right? Oh. Woo. Shout out Lion King. Hakuna Matata.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Wow.
RUBY GUTHRIE: I mean a fitting name, but I really didn't think that was the real answer.
MOLLY BLOOM: Well, you didn't--
RUBY GUTHRIE: Or like a hysteria of hyenas.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Oh, that's even better, the double H's, yeah.
RUBY GUTHRIE: Letteration, we love it.
MOLLY BLOOM: Well, great job too. Those are only some of my favorites. There are definitely more than I'm saving for later, though.
RUBY GUTHRIE: Kind of makes me wonder what would you call a group of Brains On producers.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Oh, fabulous question, Ruby. Oh, how about a confetti, a confetti of producers.
MOLLY BLOOM: Ooh.
RUBY GUTHRIE: Ooh. I love that, so festive. How about fiesta? No wait, frolic.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Oh, yes. We're totally a frolic. Oh, or a boogie woogie, a boogie woogie of producers coming to the studio.
RUBY GUTHRIE: Ooh. To boogie woogie. What about an earful?
SANDEN TOTTEN: Hmm, I mean, maybe when Mark and me are really yapping maybe, but-- what about you, Molly, what do you think we called?
MOLLY BLOOM: A hug, a hug of producers because I love you all so much.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Aww, get in here.
MOLLY BLOOM: Aww. Group hug. OK, I'm adding all of these to my collection.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
That's it for this Smarty Pass episode. It was made by Aron Woldeslassie and Anna Goldfield. Our executive producer is Beth Perlman. And the executives in charge of APM Studios are Chandra Kavati, Joanne Griffith, and Alex Schaffert. Brains On is a non-profit public radio program. Thanks, smarty pass friends. We appreciate you. See ya!
RUBY GUTHRIE: Bye.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Later, smartie pals.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
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