I`m not going to pass away

Reminds me of when I reported a sudden death at our local police statio. The conversation went something like this:-
14 year old policeman, ' have you notified the doctor?'
Me 'I am the doctor'
Him what's the address?
I give it
Oh! That's in Walsall's jurisdiction but I'll phone it through
14 year old on phone ( very officious) the doctor pronounced life extinct !
Me ' no I didn't, I said he was dead, very dead!'

I think if 'passed away' brings some comfort rather than a stark 'died' then that is fine.
However, I don't like the term 'passed'.
Passed what - another vehicle?

I intend to 'kark it' and I hope not for a while yet.

Oh yes, or 'snuff it', I'd forgotten that one!

Galen

Annsixy I don't like it either and particulately when news readers say "Passed" .

I don't think saying that you have "lost" a relative etc is quite the same. Because the person has died they are "lost" to you which is a more personal perspective of the situation.

'Lost' is a scary concept for children though -" I'm sorry to say that we lost granma today".

In France they say he/she was " lost" as a euphemism for dying - how bizarre is that?

Passed away sounds a lot less brutal imo.
It's nicer, more poetic.

'Oh she died' just sounds so final.

Sadly there us nothing more final than death bee63

Yes I am going to DIE sometime, hopefully not for a while.

On the subject of people "losing" someone, although I don't like that euphemism, I do fell that the phrase "I'm sorry for you loss" is often the better one to say, and to be on the receiving end of.

I agree to with the post regarding floral "tributes". I did wince / smile at "Gran" spelled out in purple and white adorning my mother's coffin last week!

She would have thought it the height of bad taste!

The trouble is, when it's your nearest and dearest, it often sounds unfeeling to say my husband died 4 years ago. In general conversation I tend to say "when I lost my husband" but only talk about when Daddy died with our children. Passed is an Americanism, and always brings to mind table tapping and "is anyone there" Passed away is rather old fashioned for my liking .

I don't mind the phrase "I'm sorry for your loss" Because I'm sure most people will feel a death as a loss.

My mother used to complain about people "passing away" fifty years ago, I can't imagine what she'd think if she knew people were still saying it. "Passing" would probably had her foaming at the mouth (and she wouldn't have wanted Gran or anything similar on her coffin!)

So, if I say "My dad died n years ago", it sounds unfeeling?

Rubbish! Anyone thinking so is making totally unfounded assumptions about my feelings and I'd be within my rights to resent that bitterly. It's utterly ridiculous to project your feelings onto others.

I think there's a growing tendency to suppose that if one doesn't, euphemisingly or otherwise, wear one's feelings on one's sleeve, so to speak, one is in some way lacking in decency or depth of feeling. That's rubbish as well.

I tell people my husband is dead, or that he died two and a half years ago, depending on who's asking. Can't be doing with any other ways of saying it.

I'd like to 'break on through to the other side'

What about all those worrying gravestones which tell us some poor soul 'fell asleep'. Just makes me want to reach for an alarm clock!

Although our family have always been 'matter of fact' about describing death or dying, when ringing a friend about a colleague's death recently I found myself saying 'passed away'. Maybe it depends on who you are talking to, what the appropriate vocabulary is.??

Not long ago DGC's Great Grandad died. As DS had to tell DGC he started with, 'You know Grandad has been very poorly, well I'm afraid you won't be seeing him again.' DGD aged 4 said, 'Oh you mean he's dead. That's sad.' and went off to carry on playing. The same child asked me recently, 'If God saved Jesus why didn't he save Nana E?' As a non Christian I had to say honestly, 'I don't know.' Children always seem to get down to the basics don't they?!

I'm not going to die - I shall stay out of spite!

We live very close to a graveyard and often walked through it when the children were little - obviously questions were asked. One day I explained that when people die their bodies are buried in the graveyard. Oh, said small son, where are their heads then?

I love euphemisms. It's not that, as a family, we can't face up to death but euphemisms soften the edges and if that helps with the grieving process or memories of the deceased then so be it.

When I lost my son I felt a genuine sense of loss. I was never going to get him back.

My dad passed away in the 1990s.

My mam has prepared for when she pops her clogs by buying a prepaid funeral and has even stipulated which hymns and music she wants. I don't think she trusts me. Perhaps it's because I suggested Fight the Good Fight (which she had at her wedding)and Roy Orbison singing It's Over as she slips through the curtains.

I like 'pop your clogs ' too.

I think I must be the only GNer who likes 'passed'! Somehow for me it leaves open the possibility that they have gone to another place, which may be better, and I like that idea, having no proof that it's not true..

What about when people refer to "losing" someone. We always say "that's careless", although not within earshot of the bereaved of course.