12.14.2009

Missing

It's been going on for a number of years now. You've probably heard or read it via some sort of news media, but it hasn't always been this way.

So and so went missing late last night.

Could someone please explain to me how it is that people GO missing? Did someone get up one day and decide to GO missing? I don't think so. It's usually very much against his or her will. If I'm not mistaken, I believe that the news used to report that someone had disappeared. Although as I write this, that doesn't seem right, either. It's not as if the missing person became Casper the Friendly Ghost.

I understand the alleged logic behind certain phrases and wording (usually it's a PC issue), but this one escapes me. Why will they not just say that someone IS missing? Am I the only one who's bothered by this phrase?


4 comments:

Unknown said...

Nope, I'm with you on this one.

I think is is intentional though... somehow the cat IS missing is so present, so sure... the cat has gone missing sounds, somehow less threatening.

But yeah, it bugs.

Robin said...

I TOTALLY agree and have wondered the same thing every single time I hear that phrase.

Lorraine said...

this one hasn't really bothered me so much (tho it probably will now, thx!) but what does bug me is when newscasters use present tense to describe something that has happened in the past. Also, reporting in incomplete sentences. FoxNews people are the worst at this. They love to play the video clip that goes with the story, then describe what's happening in the clip in present tense, like it's happening right that second. Like a clip of a car chase that happened earlier is reported as, "Driving down the freeway, chasing the suspect, crashing into the barrier... Police officers arresting the suspect."

It vexes me. I am terribly vexed. ;)

Anonymous said...

Never thought of it, but you're right! You don't GO missing you ARE.

LOL

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