claim

[jiang]

Dear teachers,

Please read the following sentence:

(The context: A person's father had been drinking and riding and there was an accident. Her father died two days later)

She hated what alcohol had done to her father. She needed to do something to make herself feel less powerless against the enemy that had taken her father's life.

My question is: Can I replace "taken" with "claimed"?

Looking forward to hearing from you.
Thank you in advance.

Jiang

 

[I'm still learning]

***NOT A TEACHER***

According to Pocket Oxfor Dictionary, CLAIM also means "HAVE AS AN ACHIEVEMENT OR CONSEQUENCE".

For ex: Fire claimed two victims.

So yeah, you can replace

 

[bertietheblue]

Both are OK but I'd say 'claim' sounds better - 'take' sounds more sudden but alcohol abuse can take years before it claims its victims.

 

[Raymott]

Both are OK but I'd say 'claim' sounds better - 'take' sounds more sudden but alcohol abuse can take years before it claims its victims.

But he didn't die of liver cirrhosis, and there's no evidence of prolonged alcohol abuse. He got drunk and fell off his horse (or bike). By your own argument, 'take' would be more appropriate.

 

[jiang]

Dear bertietheblue,

Thank you very much for your explanation. Do you mean if a person died from long-time disease then "claim'' should be used?

Looking forward to hearing from you.
Thank you in advance.

Jiang

Both are OK but I'd say 'claim' sounds better - 'take' sounds more sudden but alcohol abuse can take years before it claims its victims.

 

[bertietheblue]

But he didn't die of liver cirrhosis ... He got drunk and fell off his horse (or bike).

Yes, I wasn't paying attention - as often happens in my fag breaks.

That said, I think alcohol abuse is implied by "She hated what alcohol had done to her father" and alcohol was the "enemy". I don't think the writer would have said this if a normally sober father just happened to get drunk one day and fall off his bike/horse. Come to think of it, I prefer 'claimed' even more because it has an ironic edge - he wasn't killed by the alcohol abuse that you'd expect would finally claim him but by falling off a bike/horse whilst drunk.

 

[jiang]

Dear bertietheblue,

Thank you very much for your explanation. I am typing the whole paragraph. Could you please explain more?

One night during her senior year in high school, Heather got a phone call at the store where she worked. "There's been an accident," her mother said. Her alcoholic father had been drinking and riding his motorcycle. He died two days later.
Heather hated what alcohol had done to her father. She needed to do something to make herself feel less powerless against the enemy that had taken her father's life.

Looking forward to hearing from you.
Thank you in advance.

Jiang

Yes, I wasn't paying attention - as often happens in my fag breaks.

That said, I think alcohol abuse is implied by "She hated what alcohol had done to her father" and alcohol was the "enemy". I don't think the writer would have said this if a normally sober father just happened to get drunk one day and fall off his bike/horse. Come to think of it, I prefer 'claimed' even more because it has an ironic edge - he wasn't killed by the alcohol abuse that you'd expect would finally claim him but by falling off a bike/horse whilst drunk.

 

[jiang]

Dear Raymott,

I have sent the whole paragraph to bertiethblue and see if I can get a definite answer from you two.

Looking forward to hearing from you.
Thank you in advance.

Jiang

But he didn't die of liver cirrhosis, and there's no evidence of prolonged alcohol abuse. He got drunk and fell off his horse (or bike). By your own argument, 'take' would be more appropriate.

 

[jiang]

I think I should ask: Do you still mean "claim" is correct?
Jiang

Yes, I wasn't paying attention - as often happens in my fag breaks.

That said, I think alcohol abuse is implied by "She hated what alcohol had done to her father" and alcohol was the "enemy". I don't think the writer would have said this if a normally sober father just happened to get drunk one day and fall off his bike/horse. Come to think of it, I prefer 'claimed' even more because it has an ironic edge - he wasn't killed by the alcohol abuse that you'd expect would finally claim him but by falling off a bike/horse whilst drunk.

 

[Raymott]

Dear Raymott,

I have sent the whole paragraph to bertiethblue and see if I can get a definite answer from you two.

Looking forward to hearing from you.
Thank you in advance.

Jiang

My definite answer is that either will do. They are equally good. You will find that this happens a lot in English.