The Language of Death
It used to be, here in America, that people didn’t talk about three things: death, sex, and how much money they made.
Now it seems that at least one or two of those barriers have come down. People don’t mind talking about sex or reading about it in newspapers when the latest scandal breaks. There is also a lot of chatter about finances, although I would argue that in a one-on-one conversation, people do NOT want to talk about the kind of money they make. Although they will go to lengths to make it know how well they’re doing – if they’re doing well.
So that leaves death.
I find that people don’t like to talk about the impending end of life.
My life insurance agent is Rob, an old buddy from high school. Naturally in his line of work he has to talk about death to clients, because his product – life insurance – by its very nature, must include what happens to your family after your life is done.
So when Rob talks about death, he couches it in terms that make it seem less ‘heavy.’
“When you croak, you’ll want make sure your kids are taken care of,” he’ll say.
By using the word ‘croak’ instead of ‘die’ it’s a way to bring up the subject in a lighter manner without glossing it over.
We find hundreds of terms to use instead of ‘death’, ‘dead’ or ‘dying’. Here are just a few…
- pushing up daisies
- garden of stone
- bone house
- cashed it in (or out)
- cash in your chips
- had his fun ticket punched
- the sweet hereafter
- happy hunting grounds
- deep six
- threshold to eternity
- dirt bed
- six feet under
- no longer making coffee
- no longer eligible for the census
and so on…
If you are broaching an uncomfortable subject with an audience, look for ways to break the ice with unusual language. Put a twist on the words you might normally use. Try and get a chuckle with your approach. By putting your audience at ease, it becomes easier for you to get to the heart of your topic.
Personally I like that Rob uses the work ‘croak’ because it puts a funny twist on the subject but it doesn’t really pull any punches. We have all likely heard the term ‘croak’ as a reference to death. It is also the sound a frog makes. As a kid, it was a funny word, especially when used in reference to death.
If a speaker said to you that “you’re gonna croak someday!” wouldn’t it bring out a bit of a laugh?
And wouldn’t that warm you to the subject? Of course it would.
Do research online. Talk to friends. When taking on a subject that might normally make people uncomfortable, look for words and phrases that put a spin on your topic and find ways to work them into your presentation.
