Why don't people die anymore?

Gosh, what a lot of posts so quickly. What made me post this thread was hearing the BBC using the phrase 'passed away' in a news bulletin announcing someone's death, and a doctor in hospital using it to tell the family of a patient that the patient had died suddenly.

Granjura I understand your concerns but I posted this subject on Pedants corner quite deliberately because I had an issue with the use of language and why people do not die anymore, only pass away. Your concerns are understandable, but under a different heading like Health

Death is death, using an euphemism, does nothing to take the pain away and while I understand people's concern. When my DS(ister) died. I would have been uncomfortable with anyone using euphemisms. I would have taken it that they were not comfortable with the thought of death and were protecting themselves by using it.

Maybe 'died' sounds too harsh in some circumstances and is used to soften the blow. I've used nearly all the euphemisms at some point depending on circumstances and person I'm talking to.

"Gone before" they tended to say when I was a kid ( in rural Lancashire).
"Popped his Clogs" was another ( usually heard in a pub tap room).
I tend to say 'passed'.
Getting to that age now when I get to say it too.

Can someone please tell me how the phrase "popped his clogs" originated?

Kicked the bucket is another one.

Turned his toes up, croaked.

Marmight, was he a smoker?

The implication is that someone would only want to pawn his clogs when he had no further need for them, that is, when he was about to die. But it's also possible that it's linked to the idiom to pop off (an abbreviation of pop off the hooks), which can also mean to die.

Who knew?

https://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071009073105AATNgNk
One explanation of popping clogs

My daughter gets quite het up when people use anything other than 'died' or 'was killed' when referring to her (deceased) husband and will correct them. People often use euphemisms as a form of protection, either for themselves or the bereaved and so I try to persuade my daughter to be gentler with them, but she does feel very strongly about it.

My mum had the same address book for years and had no qualms about putting a big cross through their names and writing 'dead' when they expired. My sister and I often laughed at her bluntness but I'm now at an age where deleting phone numbers serves the same purpose .

One expression - I think it's an American one - that I don't like at all is "she didn't make it".
It sounds as if the person has failed at their task of living. Hideous.

you could read on gravestones that people 'fell asleep' This frightened me as a child - you had to be careful where you were when you fell asleep.
Living in Germany I haven't caught up on 'passed away' although I know what it means. Still its the same here, not many people use the proper term.

I remember American western films where someone was "planted" as opposed to buried. I think they had "croaked"

I think that the increasing use of euphemisms might also be part of the issue society seems to have with dying in general. My grandmother had a huge influence on me as a child and her matter of fact approach to life and death has rubbed of on me. She saw death as a natural event.....its going to happen...hopefully after a long and productive life but, it will happen and there is no use pretending it does not. I was reminded of her views of a 'good' death when I saw The Mr Turner film.....when he and his father died they were at home with a loving family member. There was no pretence, no 'fighting' against it just an acceptance of what was to be. It was no less sad or regretful and in many ways something to be envied.

We have always said 'died' and still do. I hate it when people on TV say so and so has 'passed'. I keep waiting for the next bit - passed by, passed the salt, passed the parcel or what?

I'm glad I'm not the only one who doesn't like euphemisms. In fact I find some confusing. I much prefer 'died' then I understand exactly what has occurred and can react appropriately -I hope.

I use euphemisms all the time but even I draw the line at this one.

This is a quote from The Living Bible first published in 1971.

1 Samuel 24:3 "Saul went into the cave to go to the bathroom"

retiredguy and jane, thank you - that makes sense now

vampirequeen In the Authorised Version, he "went in to cover his feet", which made absolutely no sense to me as a child and now suggests something I should really rather not picture.

Yes I often wondered if it meant that he had poor aim

There is nothing new about some not wishing to say died. You can read Gravestones over 100 years old which has - departed this life, taken by angels, fell asleep etc carved on them . If passed or passed away ,conked out, expired, gone, lost, helps people then I support the use . For me it's no different to saying a person is over weight rather or obese than fat. No different to some choosing nit picking over pendantic ?

I didnt realise that gravestones have those different words on them. I dont remember seeing them.
I will have a better read next time.

Look at the older gravestones in particular. Considering death was all around them the Victorians used euphemisms for death all the time.

vq & absent Seraphim must have different plumbing to mere mortals.

Isaiah 6 1

"In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.

Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly."