Posts tagged as:

death

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.  Through [...]

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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, [...]

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

November 8, 2009

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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 used [...]

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