"Mary Fisher" wrote in message
et...

"Mike Hibbert" wrote in message
...

The garden is swarming with them.

'Swarming' is a precise word and ants don't swarm.


lol... I think you'll find it's a 'figure of speech'.

I know, but it's not scientific.


This isn't a scientific Newsgroup, it's for DIYers. Not that the two
things
are mutually exclusive though!!

I should have explained more, it seems. Usenet is about communications,
isn't it?

Effective communication is surely about precision, communication isn't
effective unless precise words are used.

If someone talks about that thing on the wall with wires going to it, what
does s/he mean? S/he knows but because it's imprecise the folk round here
(i.e. on the DIY ng) won't be able to advise.


Well I suspect that they may be able to work this one out. However, swarm is
a perfectly acceptable collective noun for ant according to English Language
(although I agree, it's not the most common).

http://elmtree.members.beeb.net/html...ctivenouns.htm

Check it out.