Annoying Americanisms

[JohnnyH]

On 29/02/2020 at 16:21, Tony Moanero said:

Say “passed” or “passed away”?

Depends on the situation. Ordinarily I’d say someone had died but if I was speaking to a person who said a loved one had passed away I’d reply with the same so as not to appear insensitive.

100%. If someone who is speaking of a loved one uses the term “passed on” (a common way of referring to death in Ireland) then I’d go as far as saying a person who responds saying they’re dead or died is a fucking prick. It’s softening of terms while speaking of the most traumatic of all things. All for some stupid fucking ideal it’s an “Americanism”?  Jesus...

[JohnnyH]

On 14/07/2019 at 12:31, Evelyn Tentions said:

As pointed out by several perspicacious posters in the Donuts thread, this is an American abomination.

Showing their idiosyncratic inconsistency they call their WWI soldiers "doughboys" not "doboys"

*gets dictionary*

[JohnnyH]

On 29/02/2020 at 11:52, Champ said:

‘Passed’ for died. Just say it, it won’t kill you

So it was you! I expected better. 

[Champ]

Maybe it’s a cultural thing. I can see ‘passed on’ having religious connotations.

 

Those kind of euphemisms seem to have crept in here over recent years in a way that I don’t think is particularly healthy. Death is far too much of a taboo already and I don’t find expressions like that helpful in giving an honest account of our reality.

 

There’s a sensitivity to be found in giving an honest account. 

[JohnnyH]

32 minutes ago, Champ said:

Maybe it’s a cultural thing. I can see ‘passed on’ having religious connotations.

 

Those kind of euphemisms seem to have crept in here over recent years in a way that I don’t think is particularly healthy. Death is far too much of a taboo already and I don’t find expressions like that helpful in giving an honest account of our reality.

 

There’s a sensitivity to be found in giving an honest account. 

 

Champ, I think you're great.  I really do.  I really enjoy your input in the serious things that come up in the GF. You're a voice of reason and sense.  But I absolutely abhor your final line.  It strikes me as the type of thing one of those people who tell you "I say it like it is" who always turns out to be an insufferable prick (which I know you are not) would say.  I just couldn't disagree more.  There is no sensitivity to be found by saying "she's dead" to someone who has just lost their partner and refers to it as "She passed" to soften the harshness of it all.  

 

Death is taboo because it robs you of someone you love for ever.  They are gone. Never ever to be seen again. It's ok for that to be taboo.  Certainly no one else has the right to tell another person how they should deal with that. They can celebrate the life and move on, or be devastated and never use "died" because it hits home too hard. If that's what they want to do, then the least I can do is respect that and use a similar word.  

 

You are of course right that there is a religious connotation to it.  It was originally used in poems starting centuries ago about "passing" from this life to the next", but like an atheist saying "please God" to something (I say it all the time and I'm atheist), the meaning has moved on.  It's just a way of softening a really difficult word when you've lost a loved one.  Someone trying to bring "honesty" to that would get short shrift from me.

 

Sorry to rant, but I feel a wee bit strongly about this. 

[Bjornebye]

12 minutes ago, JohnnyH said:

 

Champ, I think you're great.  I really do.  I really enjoy your input in the serious things that come up in the GF. You're a voice of reason and sense.  But I absolutely abhor your final line.  It strikes me as the type of thing one of those people who tell you "I say it like it is" who always turns out to be an insufferable prick (which I know you are not) would say.  I just couldn't disagree more.  There is no sensitivity to be found by saying "she's dead" to someone who has just lost their partner and refers to it as "She passed" to soften the harshness of it all.  

 

Death is taboo because it robs you of someone you love for ever.  They are gone. Never ever to be seen again. It's ok for that to be taboo.  Certainly no one else has the right to tell another person how they should deal with that. They can celebrate the life and move on, or be devastated and never use "died" because it hits home too hard. If that's what they want to do, then the least I can do is respect that and use a similar word.  

 

You are of course right that there is a religious connotation to it.  It was originally used in poems starting centuries ago about "passing" from this life to the next", but like an atheist saying "please God" to something (I say it all the time and I'm atheist), the meaning has moved on.  It's just a way of softening a really difficult word when you've lost a loved one.  Someone trying to bring "honesty" to that would get short shrift from me.

 

Sorry to rant, but I feel a wee bit strongly about this. 

So "Kicked the bucket" is out of the question? 

 

I never knew what it meant anyway so I'm happy to boot it into obscurity. 

 

 

[JohnnyH]

4 minutes ago, Bjornebye said:

So "Kicked the bucket" is out of the question? 

 

I never knew what it meant anyway so I'm happy to boot it into obscurity. 

 

 

At the funeral, yes, I'd not use that one.

[Bjornebye]

19 minutes ago, JohnnyH said:

At the funeral, yes, I'd not use that one.

Yeah agreed. What are your thoughts on when people say they want a party not a funeral when they die. the "don't mourn me, celebrate me" type? 

[Rick Sanchez C-137]

2 minutes ago, Bjornebye said:

Yeah agreed. What are your thoughts on when people say they want a party not a funeral when they die. the "don't mourn me, celebrate me" type? 

 

I think you can/need to do both. You can't tell people to "not be sad" but most funerals I've been too, has been a group of people drinking and talking about all the good times they had with Deady McDeaderson.

[easytoslip]

I think that's more to ease any pain, we are here to celebrate the life, mourn is more appropriate I would say as that is what it is and what you do. 

Like when you start mourning birthdays instead of celebrating them. 

[Pureblood]

Live and let pass

[Champ]

1 hour ago, JohnnyH said:

 

Champ, I think you're great.  I really do.  I really enjoy your input in the serious things that come up in the GF. You're a voice of reason and sense.  But I absolutely abhor your final line.  It strikes me as the type of thing one of those people who tell you "I say it like it is" who always turns out to be an insufferable prick (which I know you are not) would say.  I just couldn't disagree more.  There is no sensitivity to be found by saying "she's dead" to someone who has just lost their partner and refers to it as "She passed" to soften the harshness of it all.  

 

Death is taboo because it robs you of someone you love for ever.  They are gone. Never ever to be seen again. It's ok for that to be taboo.  Certainly no one else has the right to tell another person how they should deal with that. They can celebrate the life and move on, or be devastated and never use "died" because it hits home too hard. If that's what they want to do, then the least I can do is respect that and use a similar word.  

 

You are of course right that there is a religious connotation to it.  It was originally used in poems starting centuries ago about "passing" from this life to the next", but like an atheist saying "please God" to something (I say it all the time and I'm atheist), the meaning has moved on.  It's just a way of softening a really difficult word when you've lost a loved one.  Someone trying to bring "honesty" to that would get short shrift from me.

 

Sorry to rant, but I feel a wee bit strongly about this. 

Oh, gawd, it’s another of those where there’s no tone of voice in script and things can easily be misinterpreted. Does it read any better if the ‘in’ is changed to ‘while’?

 

I absolutely don’t mean that you/I should be trying to impose your/my views on someone else, rather that I would look to acknowledge the other person’s  feelings as sensitively as I can in a way that doesn’t compromise my views either.

 

In the same way that I have always tried to give honest but age appropriate explanations to my kids/any kids about all kinds of difficult things...Father Christmas and the tooth fairy excepted

[Pureblood]

Unforgivable. So heartless.  Take a look in the mirror. 

[Rotpeter]

3 hours ago, JohnnyH said:

*gets dictionary*

Means sweaty.  Happens if you routinely eat too many donuts.

[VERBAL DIARRHEA]

Probably already done, probably by me but here we go.

 

Carmel instead of Caramel.

I could care less.

Worlds Record.

Alooooominum.

Month before day.

My bad, I guess etc

Math.

Thinking everyone in England is from London.

Thinking everyone in England lives in a Mansion or a village in Midsummers which they think is London. Does it even exist.

Doubleya doubleya 2.

etc etc.........

 

 

[JohnnyH]

1 hour ago, Bjornebye said:

Yeah agreed. What are your thoughts on when people say they want a party not a funeral when they die. the "don't mourn me, celebrate me" type? 

Fine with that.  We went on a 3 day bender for my granddads funeral 20 years ago. Down to the West of Ireland where he lived and he was laid out on the kitchen table and properly waked for 3 days as he wanted.  By day 2 there was empty bottles of whiskey sitting on the table beside him and the family loved it because that's how he waked his dad.

 

I'm also fine with people saying "died" to others.  Once it's appropriate.  But some people will avoid the word completely when speaking about a loved one because its so final, and abrupt a word. "Passed" just sits a little easier for them, so I'd never say "died" back to them.

 

You can celebrate lives.  You celebrate Jerry Stillers life.  But you don't celebrate the death of a 30 year old.  And if their parent says he "passed", then you say it too. 

[Bjornebye]

23 minutes ago, Champ said:

Oh, gawd, it’s another of those where there’s no tone of voice in script and things can easily be misinterpreted. Does it read any better if the ‘in’ is changed to ‘while’?

 

I absolutely don’t mean that you/I should be trying to impose your/my views on someone else, rather that I would look to acknowledge the other person’s  feelings as sensitively as I can in a way that doesn’t compromise my views either.

 

In the same way that I have always tried to give honest but age appropriate explanations to my kids/any kids about all kinds of difficult things...Father Christmas and the tooth fairy excepted

Blocked. 

[JohnnyH]

50 minutes ago, Champ said:

Oh, gawd, it’s another of those where there’s no tone of voice in script and things can easily be misinterpreted. Does it read any better if the ‘in’ is changed to ‘while’?

 

I absolutely don’t mean that you/I should be trying to impose your/my views on someone else, rather that I would look to acknowledge the other person’s  feelings as sensitively as I can in a way that doesn’t compromise my views either.

 

In the same way that I have always tried to give honest but age appropriate explanations to my kids/any kids about all kinds of difficult things...Father Christmas and the tooth fairy excepted

Fair enough. Still think you're a bit evil now though.

[Champ]

If only, Johnny

[Trumo]

1 hour ago, VERBAL DIARRHEA said:

Thinking everyone in England is from London.

Thinking everyone in England lives in a Mansion or a village in Midsummers which they think is London. Does it even exist.

 

That's because to them, the country is called England and the people are British. Scotland is a small part of England where they talk funny and wear kilts. Wales is just plural for marine animals like Moby Dick.

 

The London thing isn't unique to Americans. Everybody in India assumes you live in London when they find out you're from here. The rest of the UK just doesn't compute in their minds, even if they work in a call centre.

[Evelyn Tentions]

2 hours ago, Champ said:

Oh, gawd, it’s another of those where there’s no tone of voice in script and things can easily be misinterpreted. Does it read any better if the ‘in’ is changed to ‘while’?

 

I absolutely don’t mean that you/I should be trying to impose your/my views on someone else, rather that I would look to acknowledge the other person’s  feelings as sensitively as I can in a way that doesn’t compromise my views either.

 

In the same way that I have always tried to give honest but age appropriate explanations to my kids/any kids about all kinds of difficult things...Father Christmas and the tooth fairy excepted

What are you hinting about Father Christmas and the tooth fairy? They haven't died/passed/kicked the bucket/croaked have they?

[VERBAL DIARRHEA]

14 minutes ago, Trumo said:

 

That's because to them, the country is called England and the people are British. Scotland is a small part of England where they talk funny and wear kilts. Wales is just plural for marine animals like Moby Dick.

 

The London thing isn't unique to Americans. Everybody in India assumes you live in London when they find out you're from here. The rest of the UK just doesn't compute in their minds, even if they work in a call centre.

Are you having problems with your router?

[easytoslip]

8 minutes ago, Evelyn Tentions said:

What are you hinting about Father Christmas and the tooth fairy? They haven't died/passed/kicked the bucket/croaked have they?

Toes curled up, me and a mate came out of the pub and met another, who had just been to his brothers funeral, the mate asked if he was planted or barbecued, he replied er barbecued, didn't know whether to laugh at the same time as cringing, it was just the way he replied. 

[Remmie]

This fucking lunatic is just baiting us now:

 

 

And has succeeded wonderfully 

[Red Phoenix]

On 14/11/2013 at 17:06, Mustangt125 said:

Why do British people put an R on the end of words that end in A?

 

South Africker? 

 

No, it's South Africa.

 

Didier Drogber!

 

That's weird because the same thing but the other way around with UK-US was bugging me recently. I heard Trump saying Antifa and he was doing exactly what you describe. I'd say it an-te-fa but Trump (so I'm assuming a lot of other Americans too) said it as an-tee-fer. It did my head in the way it sounded too.