Jose Carillo's English Forum

Joe Carillo's Desk => My Media English Watch => Topic started by: Joe Carillo on November 24, 2018, 09:14:57 AM

Title: What does it mean when someone who dies "is survived" by some people?
Post by: Joe Carillo on November 24, 2018, 09:14:57 AM
Question posted by GlorJuani Hateh on my Facebook Messenger page (November 22, 2018):

Hi, Sir. I was reading this news on Yahoo about a teacher who was shot in front of her students. There was this part that I really could not understand: "She is survived by her three children and her husband who is currently working abroad." ("Soldier runs amok, kills teacher-lover in front of students in Bulacan" (https://ph.news.yahoo.com/soldier-runs-amok-kills-teacher-085029707.html))

Please enlighten me. Thank you.

My reply to GlorJuani Hateh:

When someone passes away, polite society refers to his or her immediate family members or significant others--maybe a live-in partner, fiance or fiancee, or anyone intimately close to the deceased--as his or her "survivors." This is why in a typical news report or obituary, the one who has died is said to be "survived" by those he or she has euphemistically "left behind."