A Farrago of Faces

In looking for a good word to describe this set of faces from many sources, I first hit upon potpourri. That seemed misleadingly fragrant, so then I wondered whether there might be an alliterative word that would work. Enter the online thesaurus.

farrago: a confused mixture

Well, that’s sort of rude but it seemed like the best of a bad lot, frankly. Who’s in charge of this language?

I found boring words.

selection, miscellany

I found misleading words for the context.

blend, conglomeration

I found words even ruder than farrago.

jumble, mess, mishmash, hodgepodge, ragbag

I found words I hear too much.

diversity, miscellany, pastiche, mash-up

I found words I’ve never heard.

gallimaufray, olio, macédoine, omnium gatherum

I found words that reminded me of songs.

medley, salamagundi

Perhaps obscurely.

Ah, look at all the lonely faces:
Where do they all come from?
– “Salamagundi” (I mean, “Eleanor Rigby”)

I did not find the word I wanted: alliterative, and connotative of a delightful surprise.

Anyway, these lonely faces come from the I-81 and from our house, in which I have lately been spending a completely unnatural amount of time. No points for guessing which are from which.

2-photo collage of truck face on I-81

Note the big eyes & that prim little mouth.

Grater face

Oh no! Dismay grater-onified.

2-photo collage of potato face

A stunned Mr. Potato Head. Eyebrows optional.

Face seen in the ductwork

The Tin Man lurks in the basement ceiling beams.

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8 Responses to A Farrago of Faces

  1. barbara says:

    Once you see them in life, you can’t unsee them. Much like reading. Kids should be warned.

  2. Dave Jobson says:

    A cluster dear Isabel, a cluster it is. A word used by statisticians.

  3. I think you need to seek among the terms for groups of animals that invoke the human reactions to those groupings (a herd of cows; a murder of crows). I would call this photo set a mesmerization of pareidoliates (pareidolates?). Having had my pareidolia invoked, I shall feel less alone. Faces are emerging from the woodwork, computer slots — yikes! I’m surrounded!

    • Isabel Gibson says:

      Laurna – Good point. I just looked at one online source and a cast of faces (from a cast of falcons) seems apt, as does a pride of faces (from a pride of lions).

  4. John Whitman says:

    Isabel – you need to do more crossword puzzles. Then you would recognize “olio” instantly.

    • Isabel Gibson says:

      John – And maybe have to create another category: words used in crossword puzzles.

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