Search
Listen on:
Follow me:
Search
Listen on:
Follow me:
Home » Discussion Forum—A Way with Words, a fun radio show and podcast about language

Discussion Forum—A Way with Words, a fun radio show and podcast about language

A Way with Words, a radio show and podcast about language and linguistics.

Discussion Forum (Archived)

Please consider registering
Guest
Search
Advanced Search
Forum Scope


Match



Forum Options



Min search length: 3 characters / Max search length: 84 characters
Search
The forums are currently locked and only available for read only access
sp_TopicIcon
whats the word for
Guest
1
2012/11/02 - 3:00am
Print

I guess we've all heard this quote, or variations of it.

 

we call the person who has lost his father an orphan, and a widower that man who has lost his wife. But that man who has known the immense unhappiness of losing a friend. What do we call him. Here every language is silent and holds its peace in impotence.

 

so my question is, do we have a word for it? also, is there a word for a parent who has lost a child?

sorry if this question has already been answered but I looked and couldn't find it.

EmmettRedd
859 Posts
(Offline)
2
2012/11/02 - 8:03am
Print

I think the generic word would be survivor. At least, obiturary language lists many relatives (and, sometimes, friends) as the decedent "is survived by..."

Beyond, orphan, widow, and widower, I do not think there any more words which signify a survivor's specific relationship.

Emmett

Ron Draney
721 Posts
(Offline)
3
2012/11/02 - 2:51pm
Print

Another word that does not define the relationship between the deceased and the survivor is relict. I have the impression that it's only used in legal documents.

Guest
4
2012/11/03 - 12:52am
Print

relict is new word for me actually. means widow doesn't it?

i've never heard that word before. thanks.  

 

but i am still stuck looking for the right word in this context.

Guest
5
2012/11/06 - 7:42am
Print

Another useful word that does not specify the relationship is bereft / bereaved. Grieving may be more accessible.

To me bereft conveys all the pain of lost intimacy of all types.

Guest
6
2012/11/10 - 8:01am
Print

bereft is very general though isnt it? a word like widow is very specific. It draws a clear relation between the deceased and the living. I am having a hard time believing nobody came out with a word that can connect a parent to a dead child.

Maybe it is time for somebody to step up.

EmmettRedd
859 Posts
(Offline)
7
2012/11/10 - 7:25pm
Print

How about 'nahpro'?

Guest
8
2012/11/10 - 8:15pm
Print

EmmettRedd said
How about 'nahpro'?

Perfect, I'll use it.   The only problem is that to be a perfect.nahpro you would have to lose all of your children.

Robert
553 Posts
(Offline)
9
2012/11/10 - 10:12pm
Print

A word like widower is actionable to the villagers all around- is he marriageable again for instance, plus tax and legal statuses and whatnots. Likewise there is the word gentile, but nothing else similarly - there is just not enough mentioning of concepts like non-French, non-Chinese to warrant a word.

Forum Timezone: UTC -7
Show Stats
Administrators:
Martha Barnette
Grant Barrett
Moderators:
Grant Barrett
Top Posters:
Newest Members:
A Conversation with Dr Astein Osei
Forum Stats:
Groups: 1
Forums: 1
Topics: 3647
Posts: 18912

 

Member Stats:
Guest Posters: 618
Members: 1268
Moderators: 1
Admins: 2
Most Users Ever Online: 1147
Currently Online:
Guest(s) 100
Currently Browsing this Page:
1 Guest(s)

Menu

Recent posts