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When my obituary is written, I would prefer "died" to "passed away" but I have a feeling that a member of my family will choose the latter. That's okay if it makes my death easier for him to talk about, just as long as it doesn't read "went to be with the Lord". That always makes me think, "she'll be back in two weeks".
I think it's presumptuous to assume anyone went to "be with the Lord". How do they know I didn't go home to "be with her old pal, Beelzebub"?
Since death is the one true finality, just say "theatergypsy's final performance was last night when she died. Unlike the times she "died" on stage, she won't be coming back for a repeat performance". You know the old saying, always leave 'em laughing.
It's interesting how words and phrases come and go and how their meanings change over the decades. The thread in this forum, "words your grandparents used", has hundreds of posts. Makes you understand how language changes over the centuries and why English as spoken today would barely be understandable, if at all, to someone who lived a thousand years ago.
I am in my 80's and from the south and in my childhood people would say "passed away" in preference to "died". Maybe they still do--I don't live there anymore so don't know what the idiom is today.
One of the local news stations here has begun using the word "crash" instead of "accident" and people were all up in arms. Their reasoning was that "accident" implies that no one is at fault, and that may not be the case.
One of the local news stations here has begun using the word "crash" instead of "accident" and people were all up in arms. Their reasoning was that "accident" implies that no one is at fault, and that may not be the case.
There must have been some kind of an edict from the AP board or something because several stations had articles on this issue and changed how they report "Crashes" or "Wrecks".
I figure most of them are not simple accidents but manifest stupidity.
I figure most of them are not simple accidents but manifest stupidity.
I guess they are called accidents by default because obviously nobody would purposefully want to be in one. However there is rarely an "accident" without a cause. Stupidity, carelessness, being in a rush and taking chances, inattention, intoxicated, and the list is endless. I bet it's the rare accident that isn't caused by one of these stupid things, like perhaps the vehicle's steering or braking system fails from mechanical causes not related to lack of maintenance. That's a real accident. The rest of them are just stupidity manifesting itself in a collision.
It's ironic, the difference between reckless and wreckless. (Actually that isn't a real word.)
Is it my imagination or are journalists lately attempting to use "passed" as a euphemism for "died?"
I've read about traffic accidents where it's reported that 3 people "passed" after a truck hit their car. A fire breaking out in an apartment resulted in an eldery parent "passing".
For years I've endured reading about someone being "fatally wounded" by a burglar, instead of being killed. This latest trend seems way over the top. What are we becoming? A feel-good optimistic society just talking in some sort of code to make all news seem like what, very good nice happy news?
IMO they are finally making sense. "Passed away" is a respectful version of "died" .
I freeze for a second when people say " I passed up that deal window " and "He passed out" .
There are a ton of politically correct euphemisms that only change the words, rather than the reality. For example:
For dead/died:
Passed away
Departed
Bit the bullet
Collateral damage
Bit the big one
Bought the farm
Bit the dust
Croaked
Kicked the bucket
Choice instead of abortion
Pregnancy termination instead of abortion
Put to sleep
Gone Home
A related gripe: When there's a terror attack and the news media reports that some organization "took credit" for the attack. I'd rather hear them say that the organization "admitted guilt" for the attack.
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