..more words may be needed..

[GSCole]

In today's (6 June 2002) Wall Street Journal, on p. D1, bottom of page,
is a Moving On article by Jeffrey Zaslow, titled:  Searching for a Word
or a Simple Way For Parents to Say They've Lost a Child.

Essentially, the commentary deals with the need for a word to describe
"a parent who has lost a child".  "Surviving parents in growing numbers
are talking about rewriting the language of grief."

"The English language has about 450,000 commonly used words, but more
may be needed.  What do you call someone who has lost a sibling or had a
miscarriage?  Or a gay person whose partner has died?  Or an elderly
person who has lost every friend and relative?  So many heartaches can't
be found in the dictionary."

Jeffrey Kacirk, author of Forgotten English is mentioned, as is Howard
Rheingold, author of They Have a Word For It.

"Now that parents are talking more (in support groups), they're more
aware of the shadings and inferences of language."  Words with which
those parents are uncomfortable are mentioned.
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The above is sent merely as an FYI item.

George Cole
Shippensburg University