Poll: How do you say someone is not Alive?

[Kwaren]

I also say dead/died. I also say "feeding the worms" or "is currently a maggot party".

 

[BENZOOKA]

I'm sorry about what you've had to go through OP.

I prefer died. It's a major journalistic error to use any sugarcoating term instead of that, in any official, or informative contexts.

It doesn't depend on the context. I always use died/dead. That's what it is, and saying otherwise doesn't change that.

 

[Monkfish Acc.]

I don't like to dance around issues. When someone is dead, I say they're dead. Sometimes I'll even use a flurry of insensitive euphemisms.

I can understand if you or people in your situation would rather be more sensitive about it, though. "Passed away" or "gone" are good ways of dealing with it without letting it all crash down on you.
Just, you know, make sure you connect the terms with death. It can't be healthy to convince yourself the deceased is just blinking for an excessively long period of time.

 

[Conza]

I think this says it most precisey.

 

[Sebenko]

That is all.

 

[Lilani]

It usually depends on the context for me. I usually say passed away if it's around strangers or mixed company, but if I'm with people I know or it just seems appropriate I'll say they died. Recency has a bit to do with it, too. If it's more recent I'll say passed away, but if they've been dead a while I'll say died or dead.

It's just all about appropriateness and respect, really. Saying someone is "dead" around those who knew or might have known them almost trivializes it in a way, and makes it sound gossipy or disrespectful.

 

[rokkolpo]

Not with us anymore and died/dead.

Both about as often.

 

[Caligulove]

Depends on the context of the conversation and who is dead. There's always a tone you want to bring when dropping that kind of news, either in an actual sort of announcement or in a story etc.

Usually passed away or something- to try and keep it fairly sensitive

 

[Sticky Squid]

Dead unless I'm at a funeral or something then I'll refer to them as the deceased.

 

[Raziel_Likes_Souls]

It all depends on how they went out. I say it pretty much the same way you do.
Peaceful = Passed away
Violent = Dead

That seems like the best way to do it.

 

[T8B95]

"He's dead, Jim."

Damn you, you know. THAT'S MY THING!

OT: I just say he/she died. It's just easier, and it usually lets people know that I don't want to talk about it.

 

[hurfdurp]

I say you he ded.

 

[Jedamethis]

At first he died. Now he dead.

 

[Lawnmooer]

They died.

They're dead.

They're deaded.

Thats how I talked about people who have died or are dead. (Yes I use the word deaded... If it is even a word)

 

[Freechoice]

That person went to a better place. It's true no matter where they actually go.

Because anywhere's better than here?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l13RCQNUyI4&feature=related#t=1m19s

 

[VincentX3]

Vaporized.

I mean it just sounds more awesome than "He's passed away"

"Sir, your wife has been...Vaporized"

[small]Kidding by the way[/small]

 

[wooty]

I say that they have fallen victim to Oyashiro-sama's curse.

But seriously, I say that someone is dead

 

[Raven's Nest]

Usually depends on how soon the death was and to an extent the cause of death... A few examples (true ones)...

My nan died two years ago - Nan passed away a few years ago.

My great-grandad died 15 years ago - My great-grandad died 15 years ago.

My friend was murdered 2 years ago - She died 2 years ago.

My friend committed suicide 2 years ago - He died 2 years ago.

Guy in my old army unit died serving in Afghan last year - He was killed last year.

I have no problems saying that all these people have died, but I might change the word depending on who I was talking to and the context of the conversation.


EDIT

The funniest phrasing i've seen comes from Johnny Vegas in Sex lives of the potato men.

A mother and friend of Johnny Vegas's, asks JV to break the news to her 8 year old son that her husband and the boy's father has died in a car crash...

JV: "Hi Tommy"

Tommy: *Looks up smiling*

JV: "Remember how your Dad used to be alive?"

Tommy: *smile fades and nods head*

JV: "Well... He's not anymore..."

Tommy: *Stares and begins to cry*

JV: "Do you want an Ice Cream?

Tommy: *Nods wiping the tears on his face*


That was comedy gold, check out the film if you like proper British black humour...

 

[Ohhi]

to me if a person dies they die there is no distinction between passing away and dieing they are the same thing to me when someone dies is not a sad day but a happy one it means they never have to deal with the hell we call the earth they get an escape the distinction between one of my family members dieing and someone I don't know, dieing is nothing I have never cried at the funerals that I have been to not even my great grandmother's whom I loved very much as I watched them put her into the ground I felt nothing not a speck of sadness or despair to me it felt like nothing had happened even though I knew one of my family was dead. so yea there are my thoughts on it.

 

[Jonluw]

I normally say "dead".
I don't pay it much thought though. Maybe I'll try to say it in a more creative way in some contexts. I do not do that whole "passed away" thing to be more sensitive however. That's bullshit to me. People need to be able to handle the truth no matter how you word it, the truth is the truth, and saying "He left this world peacefully yesterday" shouldn't be any different from saying "He died yesterday". Bleh, people and their emphasis on the tone of words.