why do we say 'passed'?

I always say died about my own bereavements, but take my lead from whoever has suffered the loss of a family member.

I like the old Lancashire expression"They've popped (pawned) their clogs", though I rarely hear it now.

suzikyoo

I'm with aonk. These newfangled expressions are all part of this 'woke' attempt at re-organisation of everything we think, say and feel. My loved ones died, that means they no longer are among the living so are now dead . (I have no idea what they 'passed' on their way out!) Not a difficult concept to grasp, surely??

'Passed away' isnt any new fangled or woke expression - has been in use forever, in various variations -eg "passed away" seems the australian term, just "passed" the american one

there are different uses of language and context matters - that isnt a difficult concept to grasp either is it?

I'm a bereavement/dying specialist I never say passed I always say dead dying etc

I agree with Farzanah about being ready-we all have to go one day. My maternal grandmother, a devout Roman Catholic, a sensible, hard working lady used to say “always have your bag packed and be ready to go at a moment’s notice” bless her.
In my earlier post I said I’d said to a lovely elderly man that I was sorry for his loss-not what I usually say, I was just surprised to see him and I was taken unawares.

I prefer to say died, I wouldn’t use passed or lost. Each to their own.

I don’t like passed. Silly euphemism.

Gone to the other side another silly expression people have used. I have asked the other side of where?
Is it not politically correct now to say died or dead what next I wonder?

I use the word died, it was hard saying it but I felt it made the situation clear. My friend phone me to say she had lost her mother, I said rather matter of fact, that was careless of you where were you …..

Mind you I quite like 'dear departed'.

I have a friend who uses the expression ‘Late’, which, once I got used to it, sounds rather nice. After all, we say ‘My late mother/husband/brother/sister etc’ so therefore they are Late

If you believe in an afterlife then passed is probably the right word as you believe they have passed over into another dimension. If you don't believe then dead is good enough.

I’m not bothered either way whatever someone feels comfortable with. It certainly doesn’t upset me either way.

One of the recent programme about the jubilee showed footage of the queen returning from Kenya and the newscaster used the words "the King's passing".
I heard the expression recently "there's been a passing". I wanted to ask it if was a passing bus, a passing thought.....

The worst, on some tombstones, is "fell asleep in Jesus."

I say died or dead. When my mother died I found the euphemism of passed annoyed me! It did not make my grief any easier to cope with

Would depend who I was talking too. I do tend to say that someone has died to most people though. It feels the most understood word and doesn't cause offence to those who do not belive in an afterlife.
A child for instance can let the imagination run wild if the wrong terminology is used. A friend told her grandaughter a neighbour had passed away and gone to heaven and two weeks later the child wanted to know when they were coming back!

When someone is heartbroken does it matter what words they use. There’s always someone there ready to nitpick.

I would use died unless the person telling me used some other term when I would probably follow their lead.

No it is not MusicGirl. Read the thread.

Passed is the American version of our passed on. I am another who prefers the term died. I always find the slightly hushed voice of a (usually) plump, middle aged man saying “of course we lost Mother last year” makes me want to say “how very careless of you,” but of course l suppress it.

I use died when referring to my husband. I like it when people say sorry for your loss as they are referring to the huge emotional and personal loss suffered, not something in the post. I find it respectful of my feelings. It took me a while to use died, and I was wary of it as it makes people almost jump to hear the word. I don’t mind euphemisms if it makes people feel more comfortable. Their comfort is the most important thing at a time of bereavement. Sometimes, a little time needs to pass before people can use harsher worlds to describe the loss themselves, so why wouldn’t a decent soul honour that.

annodomini

If anyone uses a euphemism about my demise, I'll come back and haunt them!

I will be right behind, or in front of you!

Basically, a lot of people are either uncomfortable at any hint that people die, or superstistious and feel that by using words like death, died, dying we are inviting it.

I have personally never used any of the euphemisms for death. If I am expressing sympathy to someone whose relative or friend has recently died, I might avoid the word died, if I was unsure of the person's suspectibilities and say either "I was sorry to hear the news about N". or "I am sorry for your loss, or for your bereavement".

I have known since I was 7 that people and pets die, so I have more-or-less come to terms with it. For me, using some or other odd phrase does not soften the harsh reality, or lessen my grief, but I realise others may find my approach crass.

Passed on to the next stage or through the pearly gates , if you believe?
I find that just "died" or "dead" is a bit harsh and abrupt, especially if it is unexpected.

Wait till you read about fur babies, RIP over the ?, I know people love their pets but is cringey