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Regional Euphamisms for Death

Posted by TheUnlurker on February 28, 2002

In Reply to: Regional Euphamisms for Death posted by Word Camel on February 28, 2002

: When my great grandfather was a cowboy. On his death bed, he held my grandfather's hand and said "I'm going over the Big Ridge. Look after your mama." I doubt the euphamism was his invention, I think it was probably just what they called it at the time - at least on the high plains in the United States. It's an apt metaphor for that part of the country.

: Anyway, I got to wondering if there were other regional euphamisms for death or dying. Somthing along the lines of "I'll be sleeping with the 'gators" for Florida maybe?

: And while I'm packing them in, another euphamism I like is "pushing up daisies". I think it's British but I'd be interested in its origin if anyone knows it.

There is the vicious euphemism "improved the gene pool" favoured by The Darwin Awards.

Monty Python's the Parrot Sketch is really just a list of such:
He's NOT pining - he's passed on!
This parrot is no more.
He has ceased to be.
He's expired and gone to meet his maker.
It's a stiff.
Bereft of life, he rests in peace.
If you hadn't nailed him to the perch, he'd be pushing up the daisies.
He's off the twig.
He's shuffled off this mortal coil.
He's run down the curtain and joined the bleeding choir invisible
... ...
Vis-a-vis the metabolic processes, he's had his lot.
All statements to the effect that this parrot is still a going concern are henceforth inoperative. This is an EX-parrot.

TheUnlurker

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