How Many Different Lexical Choices Do We Have to Say Someone Has Died? Select a Few Common Ones and Describe the Situations/Contexts in Which They Would Be Appropriate.

How Many Different Lexical Choices Do We Have to Say Someone Has Died? Select a Few Common Ones and Describe the Situations/Contexts in Which They Would Be Appropriate.

  • Submitted By: vijpriya
  • Date Submitted: 04/13/2013 1:34 AM
  • Category: English
  • Words: 512
  • Page: 3
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How many different lexical choices do we have to say someone has died? Select a few common ones and describe the situations/contexts in which they would be appropriate.

Ways in which to say someone has died are:
Passed away
Gone to Heaven / Up in Heaven
Six feet under
Kicked the bucket
Departed his body / this life
Expired
Deceased
He’s left us

Passed away
Passed away would be most commonly used to convey the news of a death of a person to a friend or relative (that both parties may have known). I feel to use ‘passed away’, is one the less harsh phrases to say someone has died. It portrays some sense of compassion and empathy when spoken / said and is one of the more polite ways to express death.
Passed away could also be adopted in a scenario whereby a Doctor needs to inform a patient’s family or friend that their relative has died under his care.
In addition it could be used when paying respects to someone who has just lost a loved one. (Example: I am so sorry that your Grand-Ma passed away, she was a lovely person).

Gone to Heaven / Up in Heaven
I think this phrase would be used when talking to children. Children may have difficulty comprehending what happens to people when they die and trying to explain to a child that someone doesn’t exist anymore can be a frightening prospect.
Explaining that when a person dies he/she has gone to Heaven or up in Heaven may help the child understand that the person has not ceased to exist, but instead traveled to another place called Heaven. It may help to reduce the pain that the child may be feeling.
This expression can also be used to explain that a person was a pure soul and/or a selfless person and that is the reason why they have gone to Heaven.

Six Feet Under
This would be a very informal saying when referring to someone’s death. It generally means that someone is dead and buried. I doubt it would be used to pay homage to someone close or even personally known as it lacks remorse and...

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