Died/passed… any preference?

I notice more and more in U.K. that it is common to say that someone has passed. I prefer to say that someone has died but I would not seek to comment on the language of death. Just an observation! I think it crept in from US but could also be a sign of the times and perhaps people are increasingly uncomfortable with the notion of death? I hope it doesn’t happen anytime soon but I will die, not pass.

This page is a permanent link to the reply below and its nested replies. See all post replies »

ninalanyon · 61-69, T

Died. There is nowhere to pass to, death is the end.

akindheart · 61-69, F

@ninalanyon if you lost a child, it is very hard to say the D word..even though I know the outcome

ninalanyon · 61-69, T

@akindheart It depends, I think, on whether or not one knows the opinion of the deceased regarding an afterlife. I never say my wife passed, I always say died. But I know that she had no belief in an afterlife, I would feel disrespectful to her memory if I were to imply to others that i thought she lived on elsewhere.

But, of course, everyone must deal with it in the way that works for them and their immediate circle of friends and relatives.