
For a deceased person, do we use 'the late' or 'late'?
Sep 3, 2018 · Late is the correct descriptive adjective to inform the hearer/reader that someone is dead and it always takes the. So the late Michael Jackson means "Michael Jackson, who, in case you had forgotten, is dead" It is not normally used distinctively - that is it is not used to distinguish between one person and another.
idioms - When is it appropriate to use "late" when referring to …
Yes it is most appropriate for use with those who were recently living. For an explanation: The sense of "deceased" (as in the late Mrs. Smith) is from late 15c., from an adverbial sense of "recently."
word usage - How long can you say "the late so and so"? - English ...
Dec 12, 2013 · late. A. the late. This expression is elliptical for lately (i.e., recently) deceased. How long this can be used of a dead person depends on how recently that person died, but anything more than five years or so is going to strike most readers as odd (e.g., the late John F. Kennedy). Of course, there's no absolute statute of limitations; the ...
Origin of the usage of "late" to mean deceased
Apr 12, 2017 · The OED's earliest use of it referring to a deceased person is found in Caxton's Eneydos (1490): "Her swete and late amyable husbonde." I can imagine its widespread use is due to its formality in comparison with the word dead. It seems much more appropriate as well as respectful to reference the late Mr.Smith than the dead Mr.Smith.
Why is "late" used in reference to a deceased person?
"the late Mr X" - This use of "late" is elliptical for lately deceased (recently deceased). an ellipsis is the act of leaving out one or more words that are not necessary for a phrase to be understood. Merriam-Webster. etymology of "late" - The sense of "deceased" (as in the late Mrs. Smith) is from late 15c., from an adverbial sense of "recently."
What is a respectful way to refer to a person who has died?
Feb 2, 2011 · You can say "late" if you are referring to the deceased's name, or a position from which it is obvious who you mean. This is respectful, formal, and businesslike. The late John D. Rockefeller was a very generous man. My late husband was a very generous man. But not *The late guy was a very generous man.
Indicating someone is deceased in a list of names
Jun 1, 2017 · The most obvious way is to indicated "(deceased)" after the person's name. I know that one can also use a dagger (†) or refer to the person as "the late Mr./Ms. Doe". I then learned in References to deceased persons that one can use "RIP" as suffix as well. However, for some reasons, these solutions are not satisfactory to me.
How to acknowledge a contribution of a deceased person?
Jul 8, 2013 · First, on a minor point, the "with" is incorrect, and using "late aunt" would clearly indicate that she is deceased (thus explaining any subsequent sentiments): I want to thank my late aunt who assisted me financially. As I indicated, this has to be a personal choice, but my inclination would be something similar to your middle suggestion, such as:
dedications - What's the proper way to dedicate a paper with a "to …
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What is a polite way of talking about a recently-deceased person?
Sep 17, 2014 · My preference is to refer to a deceased person as if they're still a person, just in the past tense. For example, my grandmother was a wonderful woman, but had many challenges in her life. It's the keeping-the-memory-alive reference style. I think adding anything involving "resting" in "peace" shows a strong religous bias.