60 Euphemisms for Death! | Otherwords

Summary

This video explores the variety of euphemisms and dysphemisms used to talk about death across cultures and languages. Dr. Erica Brozovsky delves into how people avoid direct references to dying by using metaphors, such as 'passed away' or 'crossed the river,' as well as more blunt, humorous terms like 'kicked the bucket' or 'popped his clogs.' The discussion highlights how these phrases reflect cultural beliefs about mortality, spiritual journeys, and the physical reality of death, all while showcasing humanity's complex emotions and relationship with death.

Takeaways

• 🌱 The words 'death', 'die', and 'dead' are derived from the Proto-Indo-European root 'deu', which means to die, faint, or vanish.
• 🗣️ Euphemisms are commonly used to discuss sensitive or taboo topics like death to spare feelings, avoid embarrassment, or due to superstition.
• 🌐 Death has numerous euphemisms across virtually every language, reflecting cultural beliefs about the afterlife and the act of dying.
• 🧳 Some euphemisms avoid the act of dying by focusing on the person's absence, such as saying they're 'gone' or 'no longer with us'.
• 🛤️ Many euphemisms frame death as a journey or crossing, using imagery like 'passed away', 'slipped away', or 'crossing the river Styx'.
• 🌉 The concept of a boundary between worlds is common in death metaphors, with doors, gates, rivers, and bridges symbolizing the transition.
• 🎸 The term 'Elvis has left the building' became a euphemism for dying after it was used to signal the end of Elvis Presley's concerts.
• 💤 Slumber is a popular metaphor for death, with phrases like 'laid to rest' or 'take the big sleep' suggesting a peaceful end.
• 😢 Dysphemisms are blunt or insensitive substitutes for direct terms about death, used to express power over something scary or to celebrate the death of someone disliked.
• 🌼 Many languages use flower imagery in death sayings, such as 'pushing up daisies' in English, reflecting the idea of being buried and the cycle of life.
• 💸 Some death metaphors involve the concept of a transaction, like 'popping one's clogs' or 'buying the farm', suggesting that death is a final settlement of debts.

Q & A

What is the origin of words like 'death', 'die', and 'dead'?

The words 'death', 'die', and 'dead' are likely derived from the Proto-Indo-European root 'deu', which meant to die, faint, or vanish.

Why do people often use euphemisms when discussing death?

People use euphemisms to discuss death to spare feelings, avoid embarrassment, or out of superstition, as death is a sensitive and taboo topic.

What are some euphemisms for death that focus on the person's absence?

Euphemisms focusing on absence include 'gone', 'no longer with us', 'with the Lord', 'summoned by God', 'had Allah take their soul'.

How is death often framed in terms of a journey or crossing?

Death is framed as a journey or crossing with phrases like 'passed', 'departed', 'slipped away', 'flew on a crane to the Western paradise', or 'cross the river Styx'.

What is the term for figures like Charon or St. Peter that guide souls across the boundary between worlds?

The term for figures that guide souls across the boundary between worlds is 'psychopomp'.

How did the phrase 'Elvis has left the building' become a euphemism for death?

'Elvis has left the building' became a euphemism for death after announcers used it to tell crowds to go home after Elvis' concerts, and it later was applied to his own death.

What is a common metaphor for death and why is it used?

Slumber is a common metaphor for death because it is the closest experience to death that we experience in life.

What are dysphemisms and how do they relate to death?

Dysphemisms are blunt or insensitive substitutions for direct terms. They can be used to celebrate the death of someone disliked or to give a sense of power over something scary and confusing.

What does the UK dysphemism 'popped his clogs' mean and where does it originate from?

'Popped his clogs' means pawned his shoes, as he won't need them anymore, and it's a way to refer to death in a less direct manner.

How do some idioms for death, like 'kick the bucket', relate to their origins?

The idiom 'kick the bucket' likely refers to an old term for the wooden beam that an animal's feet would be tied to for slaughtering, rather than a method of hanging.

Why do some death metaphors focus on the physical body after death?

Some death metaphors focus on the physical body after death to describe what happens to the body, such as 'six feet under', 'food for worms', or 'wearing wooden pajamas'.