One of my favorite NPR programs (what in the world would we do without NPR?) is "A Way With Words"--a fascinating program by two brilliant word-people about the history and usage of words.
Today they were talking about words we use when people die. "Why not just say what it is--died?" they asked.
"Passed away" seems like an unnecessary euphemism, they agreed.
"Lost" makes the person seem like a wallet or a set of keys. We don't normally "lose" people, they said.
They also advised using the name of the person when expressing sympathy--not "sorry for your loss."
If you like this kind of discussion and want to participate in the conversation about words, you can listen on KSTX, as I do, or on podcasts, or online.
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