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When did 'Passing' become the new word for died????

(168 Posts)
Franbern Thu 19-Sept-24 19:02:54

Just that really. Seems to be that no-one can say that someone has died, nowadays they have 'passed'. Okay, that might mean something if you are religious and still believe in life after death.#

To me, it is a rather silly term and is becoming increasingly annoying.

Charleygirl5 Thu 19-Sept-24 19:16:19

I could not agree more, the word irritates me and I refuse to say somebody has passed-where to?

AGAA4 Thu 19-Sept-24 19:19:23

It's ambiguous too. Passed? What? An exam, driving test.?

Anniebach Thu 19-Sept-24 19:19:24

No one has to say it

Witzend Thu 19-Sept-24 19:21:36

Well, we don’t use it here!

IMO passed/passed away have been used for a long time, though. Some people are very squeamish about the D-word, I’m not sure why. Do they think ‘passed’ somehow sounds less final?

NotSpaghetti Thu 19-Sept-24 19:21:52

I heard this first when we lived in America in the early 1980s.
Not sure how long it's been in use here in the UK.

I don't like it either.

NotSpaghetti Thu 19-Sept-24 19:23:07

Yes, maybe, Witzend - "passed away" is a gentle sort of death I suppose

petra Thu 19-Sept-24 19:25:38

Passing and lost. I’m almost tempted to come out with a facetious remark when someone uses the words.

eazybee Thu 19-Sept-24 19:27:47

It has been current for some time and I find it intensely annoying. Died is the correct term.

foxie48 Thu 19-Sept-24 19:32:45

Not in my vocabulary. I use dead or died.

charley68 Thu 19-Sept-24 19:33:00

Indeed 'passing' has been around for quite a while.

I cannot stand the phrase. I will always say 'died' or 'has died', or 'died last year, or whenever'.
I have no idea why people say it; I mean passed where? To where? Passing????

LadyMaddona Thu 19-Sept-24 19:35:11

My mum sadly died unexpectedly recently, l was notified by my son who said Grandma has just passed peacefully. I can only assume it was easier for him to say than my mum had died

eggplant Thu 19-Sept-24 19:38:00

Funnily enough, I used to like both terms, particularly " lost"

Now I see why they are easier to use.

ixion Thu 19-Sept-24 19:39:39

Nurse training stressed the need to avoid the verb 'lost' when explaining a patient's death.
As in, I am so sorry we have lost x.

Lost? Well which ward was he going to?

Tigerpaws57 Thu 19-Sept-24 19:46:26

Just use the term that suits you surely and let others do the same? Can't see why you would need to feel irritated or annoyed.

pinkprincess Thu 19-Sept-24 19:46:27

My grandmother always used the words "Got away" when someone died.

Sarnia Thu 19-Sept-24 19:47:08

An Americanism. Passed away is ok but just saying someone has passed could be anything, passed by; passed through; passed out. It's similar to birthdays. Everyone is turning an age these days.

welbeck Thu 19-Sept-24 19:50:53

Tigerpaws57

Just use the term that suits you surely and let others do the same? Can't see why you would need to feel irritated or annoyed.

exactly my feeling

M0nica Thu 19-Sept-24 20:01:11

I have threatened to come back and haunt any member of my family, who uses 'passed away' or 'passed' when describing my eventual death.

Kicked the bucket and similar terms will be acceptable but nothing shmaltzy, euphemistic, or sentimental is permissable.

When I die, I will be dead.

Anniebach Thu 19-Sept-24 20:03:11

Yes you will be dead so don’t try to control

Doodle Thu 19-Sept-24 20:10:00

Whatever term the bereaved choose to use should be fine. Some people find it hard to say died especially when they have to repeat it over and over so many times to various different banks and companies.

M0nica Thu 19-Sept-24 20:10:05

Why not? I think it would be fun if I could manage it.

Perhaps I could put a clause in my will saying that my descendant wold be diinherited if heard using any word for death that I disapprove of, for a period of 5 years!

LOUISA1523 Thu 19-Sept-24 20:15:54

I don't use it myself...I sayed died ....but it doesn't offend me if others say it

biglouis Thu 19-Sept-24 20:28:48

Working in America I got used to some of their euphemisms.

Pass, passed over, passed away and "we lost X" were common.

Bathroom and rest room are preferred to toilet.

Deedaa Thu 19-Sept-24 20:29:18

Even back in the 60s I remember my mother hating "passed away" She thought it was very twee and childish (actually she thought a lot of the language people used was twee and childish) Heaven knows what she would have thought of "passed".

I do sometimes use "lost". After all it is quite descriptive, my husband is dead and we have lost him as a presence in the family.