Posts tagged as:

death

MORIBUND [MAWR-uh-buhnd]: dying, near death

April 5, 2013

I came across a comment the other day that struck me as incorrect.  The person wrote that the issue of gun control legislation in Congress was moribund.   As I read on, I discovered that the writer was saying that it was “dead on arrival” on the floor of Congress.   Had he not used this term, [...]

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GRIM: having a harsh, sinister, forbidding appearance

March 14, 2013

The “Grim Reaper” (pictured to right) is a euphemism for death.  It is a classic phrase used to soften the harshness of the word death and is depicted as a ghostly, dark character who appears with scythe in hand, ready to “mow down” the victim. In a world where death is treated as a failure, [...]

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DEATH: end of life

August 20, 2012

This may seem like a ghoulish posting, but it’s a legitimate result of thinking about significant words that are common in our language.    No, I’m not obsessing on death, and I’m not aware of being traumatized by someone’s death.  I’m just thinking out loud about something that I think is worth consideration. It bothers the [...]

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CONDOLENCES: expressions of sympathy at the time of death

August 10, 2011

Yesterdays poignant arrival of the caskets of the 30 military men killed in Afghanistan at Dover Air Force Base was sobering.   The President joined others in recognizing the sacrifice of their lives and the nation found itself almost speechless as it tried to sort out the meaning of this tragic loss. Sprinkled throughout the reports [...]

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DIVINE RETRIBUTION: a diety’s response to human error by inflicting disaster, pain and death

April 19, 2011

I seem to be on a theology kick these days.  Maybe it’s the Holy Week/Passover week that has stimulated my spiritual juices.  Or, it is more likely that a comment from readers  about my posting about Liturgical Drama excited my ruminations in this realm of theology.  In any case, it is a perfect opportunity to [...]

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REQUIEM IM PACE: rest in peace

March 30, 2011

It seems as though there have been a lot of deaths lately which have impacted me in one way or another.   Today we will be in the Albany area with the family and friends of a woman who has been a part of our lives for a long time.  It is just the latest. At [...]

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ANESTHESIA: loss of sensation or consciousness

May 29, 2010

Yesterday I had a medical procedure which required anesthesia.  It is a repeatable offense, so I’m used to it by now.  But each time it occurs I find myself thinking about the sensation of it…or, to be honest, the lack of sensation. An invention of the nineteenth century, anesthesia is the creation of artificial unconsciousness.  [...]

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EUPHEMISM: a word or phrase used in place of a term that might be considered too direct, harsh, unpleasant or offensive. (Encarta)

December 6, 2009

————–The use of euphemisms can be seen as a polite thing, sparing friends with sensitive ears from the use of profanity. Or, it can be seen as a demeaning thing, treating the friend as naïve or immature, incapable of participating fully in the expression of the story as the teller intends it. Either way, it [...]

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REQUIEM: any musical service, hymn, or dirge for the respose of the dead. (Dictionary.com)

November 8, 2009

————– Requiem is a word which (technically) refers to the music accompanying a liturgy for the dead. In recent usage, however, it has developed a broader meaning to incorporate any gesture, service, or gathering to remember those who have died. The Latin phrase requiem in pace, (rest in peace) shortened to the letters RIP is [...]

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