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Usenet Posted 23 years ago
Usage
"gone missing"
Does anyone have a theory as to how a perfectly useful word like "disappear" becomes, almost overnight, a tasteless phrase such as "gone missing?"
I was certain that it would never see the light of day in Boston, but even here, where I like to think we speak "propah" English (accent notwithstanding), it is becoming commonplace.
Any ideas?? How does it start?? How does it spread so quickly?? How do otherwise educated people find themselves able to even it??
I was certain that it would never see the light of day in Boston, but even here, where I like to think we speak "propah" English (accent notwithstanding), it is becoming commonplace.
Any ideas?? How does it start?? How does it spread so quickly?? How do otherwise educated people find themselves able to even it??
Top answer
"[/nq] The world is becoming smaller, so to speak. [/nq] It is a BrE phrase, you know. Boston could be a likely place for it take root.
- "[/nq] The world is becoming smaller, so to speak.
- [/nq] It is a BrE phrase, you know.
- Boston could be a likely place for it take root.
- [nq:1]Any ideas??
- How does it start??
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27 Answers
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[nq:1]Does anyone have a theory as to how a perfectly useful word like "disappear" becomes, almost overnight, a tasteless phrase such as "gone missing?"[/nq]
The world is becoming smaller, so to speak.
[nq:1]I was certain that it would never see the light of day in Boston, but even here, where I like to think we speak "propah" English (accent notwithstanding), it is becoming commonplace.[/
The world is becoming smaller, so to speak.
[nq:1]I was certain that it would never see the light of day in Boston, but even here, where I like to think we speak "propah" English (accent notwithstanding), it is becoming commonplace.[/
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The inimitable (Email Removed) (Sheila) stated one day
[nq:1]Does anyone have a theory as to how a perfectly useful word like "disappear" becomes, almost overnight, a tasteless phrase ... it start?? How does it spread so quickly?? How do otherwise educated people find themselves able to even it??[/nq]
"gone missing" is hardly tasteless. It's quite useful and there's a nuance there that do
[nq:1]Does anyone have a theory as to how a perfectly useful word like "disappear" becomes, almost overnight, a tasteless phrase ... it start?? How does it spread so quickly?? How do otherwise educated people find themselves able to even it??[/nq]
"gone missing" is hardly tasteless. It's quite useful and there's a nuance there that do
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I didn't realize it was considered a BrE phrase. I'd never come across it until I landed up here in North America.
Cheers, Sage
Cheers, Sage
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[nq:2]The world is becoming smaller, so to speak. It is ... as the use of multiple question marks does, I'd guess.[/nq]
[nq:1]I didn't realize it was considered a BrE phrase. I'd never come across it until I landed up here in North America.[/nq]
I have heard it here in the USA only relatively recently, and MWCD10 has:
- go missing chiefly British : to become lost : DISAPPEAR
[nq:1]I didn't realize it was considered a BrE phrase. I'd never come across it until I landed up here in North America.[/nq]
I have heard it here in the USA only relatively recently, and MWCD10 has:
- go missing chiefly British : to become lost : DISAPPEAR
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[nq:1]Does anyone have a theory as to how a perfectly useful word like "disappear" becomes, almost overnight, a tasteless phrase ... it start?? How does it spread so quickly?? How do otherwise educated people find themselves able to even it??[/nq]
'disappear' has magician, puff-of-smokey connotations. Like 'vanishing'. It isn't what people mean. We're talking about someone who went to the sho
'disappear' has magician, puff-of-smokey connotations. Like 'vanishing'. It isn't what people mean. We're talking about someone who went to the sho
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[nq:2]I didn't realize it was considered a BrE phrase. I'd never come across it until I landed up here in North America.[/nq]
[nq:1]I have heard it here in the USA only relatively recently, and MWCD10 has: - go missing chiefly British : to become lost : DISAPPEAR[/nq]
I use it occasionally. I think I have it from my mother, so I think of it as Southern. I don't think it's especially recent
[nq:1]I have heard it here in the USA only relatively recently, and MWCD10 has: - go missing chiefly British : to become lost : DISAPPEAR[/nq]
I use it occasionally. I think I have it from my mother, so I think of it as Southern. I don't think it's especially recent
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it?? (end quote) >>
Almost overnight?
Nowadays the usual answer is that it was used in a new movie or in a popular TV series.
Richard Maurer To reply, remove half
Sunnyvale, California of a homonym of a synonym for also.
Almost overnight?
Nowadays the usual answer is that it was used in a new movie or in a popular TV series.
Richard Maurer To reply, remove half
Sunnyvale, California of a homonym of a synonym for also.
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[nq:1]Does anyone have a theory as to how a perfectly useful word like "disappear" becomes, almost overnight, a tasteless phrase ... it start?? How does it spread so quickly?? How do otherwise educated people find themselves able to even it??[/nq]
The one that amuses me is "turned up missing". A Google search gets 7,460 hits on that phrase.
Regards,
John
The one that amuses me is "turned up missing". A Google search gets 7,460 hits on that phrase.
Regards,
John
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[nq:2]Does anyone have a theory as to how a perfectly ... otherwise educated people find themselves able to even it??[/nq]
[nq:1]'disappear' has magician, puff-of-smokey connotations. Like 'vanishing'. It isn't what people mean. We're talking about someone who went to the ... didn't come home from school. 'Go missing' seems to be of fairly recent origin but it sounds OK to me[/nq]
Didn't
[nq:1]'disappear' has magician, puff-of-smokey connotations. Like 'vanishing'. It isn't what people mean. We're talking about someone who went to the ... didn't come home from school. 'Go missing' seems to be of fairly recent origin but it sounds OK to me[/nq]
Didn't
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[nq:2]Does anyone have a theory as to how a perfectly ... otherwise educated people find themselves able to even it??[/nq]
[nq:1]'disappear' has magician, puff-of-smokey connotations.[/nq]
Oh, no. Paul Daniels is spreading into other threads.
Speaking of whom (heh heh, that was neat, wasn't it?), his predecessor as TV's Most Loved Magician, and one who actually deserved the epith
[nq:1]'disappear' has magician, puff-of-smokey connotations.[/nq]
Oh, no. Paul Daniels is spreading into other threads.
Speaking of whom (heh heh, that was neat, wasn't it?), his predecessor as TV's Most Loved Magician, and one who actually deserved the epith
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