IMMORTAL. etc. -=- WAS Railroad cart

[James C Stalker]

Passed = passed over, as he in "He has passed over the River Jordan."
Perhaps, passed on (to another realm, life, depending on ones beliefs).  I
have most typically heard "passed over" rather than "passed on," I think.

Late: perhaps a shortening of "lately of this world"?

JCS

Doug Harris writes:

> Similarly, why do we refer to someone who's "passed"
> (passed???? -- what? Go? Did they collect their $200??)
> as "late". The latter clearly sets up false hope, as
> the supposedly 'late' person most assuredly isn't coming.
> Unless, of course, it's a second coming... but that's
> another issue altogether.
> (the other) doug
>
>
> (Why do we call people "immortal" only after they're dead?)
>
> m a m
>
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>



James C. Stalker
Department of English
Michigan State University

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org