Hi guys, i'm in the process fo writing my first book which is centred around a group of teens around the ages of 13/14 but i'm struggling to word the terminology corrrectly My question therefore is what do you call a group of teenagers?
My worst nightmare? Just kidding, just a group I guess. You could call them a 'gang' but that has other connotations.
A murder? A procession? A congress? A gaggle? I'm being sarcastic and that's not helpful. What's wrong with group?
"Hey idiots!" Found this "If the teenagers are unruly in a public space, then they are a nuisance. A nuisance of teenagers. Teens in church are a pride. A pride of teenagers. Teens in school in various groups are cliques or gangs. A teen clique. Cliques are populated with teens who have similar characteristics or social attributions thus adding subcategories: freaks, emos(emotional disorders), larpers (those who dress in costume and act out video games or movies--see losers), posers (wannabes who can't), band slut and so on. Gangs are dangerous versions of cliques. We do not discuss gangs so as not to draw their ire. Gangs wear colors and carry guns. Teen girls who travel together wearing similar clothing and toothy smiles are pods. The individual girls are called bitches. See that pod over there? They think they're, like, sooo hot. She's such a bitch. As you can see, there is no singular term for teen groups. It is best to avoid them, thus relieving you of your need for such a term."
Sadly i can't avoid using teens as one of the group is my main character & the others who have tagged along are secondary characters but i'm liking the term 'gaggle'
In all seriousness, I think you should explore different words in different situations. The word you choose for each will give your audience a mental image. "The flock a teens descended on the North entrance to the mall" "Once inside they realized someone let in the actual cool kids, then formed into a gaggle, and moved in unison down the center promenade." "As their confidence returned, the natural movements of the skein presented itself to curious onlookers." Flock, Gaggle, Skein paint very different images here. (Skein is the v-formation.)
Clique is the only other thing I can think of if they are an exceptionally tight friendship group. Other than that, I'd just stick to group. Especially seeing as some of them are incredibly normal people (and would only ever refer to themselves as a group). The only time I would change it is if you are using a metaphor like the one @Homer Potvin suggested.
I thought a clique was more of a social grouping of young 'uns? Usualy grouped by common interests or social status on the schoolyard.
A slice of lemmings teenagers A mob of sheep teenagers A rafter of turkeys teenagers A drift of snowflakes teenagers
You could call the group something based on the types of things they do/are. Like jocks, nerds, rebels, etc.
"Thugs" What, am I wrong? XD Could come up with something unique, have something they call themselves. That sounds like a gang, but I'm thinking more along the lines of a wanna be rock band. 5-8 kids that want to be cool and call themselves "X" group.
These answers are hilarious. And since I'm dropping by, I think you can't go wrong with the word "pack."
