Euphanisms

I found some north country euphemisms quite puzzling when I was first married. DH's mother would inform him that somebody from his village had died by saying, 'We buried old Frank last week'

I used to think, 'My God, I hope he was dead'

A bit like the old forces joke about informing a soldier on parade that a relative had died.

'Anyone with a mother step forward.... Private Jones, where do you think you're going?'

switched of the light and reached to the other side
I must admit that at first I read that as meaning someone reached across and turned out the bedside light and thought 'ooh, that would annoy me if I was reading'.

I think 'passed away' is fine, 'passed' doesn't sound quite right somehow.

Although I don’t come from ooop north I agree with you Annsixty say things as they are
and in Australia they would call a spade a 'bloody shovel' but their cyclones still have names - some of them have male names as well as is only right and proper!

Years ago someone told me he was "just going to turn his bike round", I thought him a very strange man and why would he ?

I must plead guilty to calling the GSs Littlies when they were toddlers. But we are a tall family so they did look very little! Earlier this evening I was reading a comment from a woman who's baby had died. She talked about knowing that she was playing in God's garden and in that context it didn't seem toe curling at all, just rather lovely.

It’s you who have no sense of humour BB can’t you tell when someone’s taking the piss?

Thanks, lemongrove.

Because certain parts of the US say ‘passed’ and have done for a very long time.
Due to US tv and social media it has now taken hold ( by some) here.

I don't have a problem with people saying, 'passed away.' It's been around a long time hasn't it?

But when and why did it get shortened to 'passed?'

a sort of cross between wee and piddle isn’t it?

I thought it was bad form to correct a poster's spelling or grammar

Widdle"s a great word!

Lemongrove, I love off for a widdle much better than all that nonsense like "going to see a man about a dog"

Miss A & Annie B .
On a more light hearted note I worked in a 2 storey building (the company I worked for had the ground floor & another company had the first floor). A member of staff who Initially worked for us changed jobs & went to work for the company on the first floor when our receptionist told clients that he had "gone upstairs" it caused great consternation.

I thought fur babies were something to do with fur balls.

Is a euphamism using our language to its fullness?

No word is being banned, it is a question of context and , yes, I hate coy euphemisms. The language we use tells people about us and what sort of people we are. When you die, you are dead. wrapping it up in scented paper by saying 'passed, 'passed away' or any of the other euphamisms for death are a throwback to the coyness of 19th century England

The Americanism “Bathroom” for loo/ toilet/ lavatory is spreading. Apparently schools now have “Bathrooms” and British people are wearing “Underwear” rather than pants.
I’ve had to tell lots of people lately that,”I’ve lost my dog, not lost as in gone missing, lost as in died” and by the time I’ve got all that out I’m crying in the middle of Waitrose.

“Rest room” of course!

A lady I met some years ago had been a transAtlantic BOAC stewardess when young and in her early days found some Americanisms confusing. Once when asked where the “Reast room” was on the plane, replied that she didn’t think there was one, but she could provide a pillow if required.

I must be alone because although I can see "fur babies" is not only nauseating and ridiculous, there's something about such a silly description that perversely makes it appealing. I want one

When I was in America, I always found the coyness of the"Rest Room" daft, given that not a lot of resting takes place in such a room. I tended to ask "where are your lavatories please", to which I often got the response "you want the rest room", which always made me feel tempted to reply with "no I don't I'm not tired" but probably that would have been taking British eccentricity too far

OP you are clearly not alone in hating flowery ness. Those of us who do are perfectly entitled to say so and to use the language we prefer. If others want to talk about fur babies and rainbow bridges that’s fine but we don’t have to like it. And I don’t.

I understand where you were coming from Bluebell - your innocuous post was meant to be light hearted. Shame it was not always seen as such.

That's so sad Grandtant brought a tear to my eye.

Yes periods have their fair share of euphemisms, one parent would ring me and say ' Jane is like that there other this week' decipher that if you will.

Luckygirl

Never heard "fur baby" - does it just mean any pet, even a tortoise?

Using all the correct words can backfire. DS3 always asked a lot of questions and always got the correct answer. One day I was stopped at the school gates by another mother who was not happy that my 5 year old had told her 5 year old all about how babies were made with all the correct terminology!

When someone talked about a miscarriage as having 'lost a baby' a child who heard refused to be left with the parent who had miscarried for a long time until her Grandad found out why. Can't blame her.

I prefer the term died to any other but that is just for me, I wouldn't object to anyone else using the other terms.

I still talk about Death Duty rather than IHT because it really is a tax on dying!