remaining family members ?

Status
Not open for further replies.

Ju

Key Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2006
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Chinese
Home Country
Hong Kong
Current Location
Hong Kong
After one members passed away in the family, what do we call the remaining family members ?

Ju
 

BobK

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 29, 2006
Location
Spencers Wood, near Reading, UK
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
'Bereaved', which is an adjective. 'The bereaved' can sometimes be used as a noun. I think in legal contexts the word 'relict' is sometimes used - but I've never heard or seen it, except in matters of wills ('testaments' - written records of what people want to be done with their possessions when they die)

b
 
Last edited:

SoothingDave

VIP Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2009
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
An obituary will say that "he is survived by..." and then list the wives and children, etc.
 

tedtmc

Key Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2006
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
Chinese
Home Country
Malaysia
Current Location
Malaysia
An obituary will say that "he is survived by..." and then list the wives and children, etc.

Also, xxxx passed away leaving behind xxxx, xxxx, ...

I though 'the bereaved' is not confined to family members but also friends and relatives.

not a teacher
 

Raymott

VIP Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2008
Member Type
Academic
Native Language
English
Home Country
Australia
Current Location
Australia
Also, xxxx passed away leaving behind xxxx, xxxx, ...

I though 'the bereaved' is not confined to family members but also friends and relatives.

not a teacher
And the family are not always bereaved, but it's conventional and polite to assume they are.
 

BobK

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 29, 2006
Location
Spencers Wood, near Reading, UK
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
And the family are not always bereaved, but it's conventional and polite to assume they are.

:?: I didn't think it was just a fancy word for 'upset'. Recently, though, I've noticed people using it that way. :-(

Online Etymology Dictionary doesn't require family ties - though the words 'loved one' in the definition of the OE root might encourage its use in that sense.

I think it was originally applied to families; then it was applied figuratively to other contacst who reacted as though they had had a family member die - which devalued the word and invited a new meaning in ('upset') because Nature Abhors a Vacuum

b
 

birdeen's call

VIP Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2010
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Polish
Home Country
Poland
Current Location
Poland
:?: I didn't think it was just a fancy word for 'upset'. Recently, though, I've noticed people using it that way. :-(

Online Etymology Dictionary doesn't require family ties - though the words 'loved one' in the definition of the OE root might encourage its use in that sense.

I think it was originally applied to families; then it was applied figuratively to other contacst who reacted as though they had had a family member die - which devalued the word and invited a new meaning in ('upset') because Nature Abhors a Vacuum
Would you say then that the family of a deceased person must be bereaved by definition? The meaning of the word is deprived. I think we can only be deprived of good or necessary things like love or food. We wouldn't call a person who has been successfully treated for cancer "deprived of cancer". Would you say that a particularly hated family member who dies still leaves the rest bereaved? Must they consider themselves bereaved?
 

BobK

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 29, 2006
Location
Spencers Wood, near Reading, UK
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
I would think that was it - though my 'preferred usage' doesn't seem to be widely shared. ;-) Except in John Donne's sense ('No man is an island...' etc) I wouldn't be bereaved by the death of any Tom Dick or Harry. Using your word 'deprived', their life has to be something that's of value to me in a personal way..

b
 

emsr2d2

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
If I saw someone who had recently lost a close family member out and about having fun, just a few days after the death, I would be hard pushed to describe them as bereaved. In fact, I would be inclined to use the sarcastic method of making quotation marks with my hands while saying to someone "Look, isn't that Jane? Hah! So much for being (begin finger gesture) "bereaved"!"
 

BobK

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 29, 2006
Location
Spencers Wood, near Reading, UK
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
If I saw someone who had recently lost a close family member out and about having fun, just a few days after the death, I would be hard pushed to describe them as bereaved. In fact, I would be inclined to use the sarcastic method of making quotation marks with my hands while saying to someone "Look, isn't that Jane? Hah! So much for being (begin finger gesture) "bereaved"!"

Exactly - I think we're in violent agreement ;-) She's not behaving as family members should in such circumstances, and the word 'bereaved' underlines that.

b
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top