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Post by Geoff on Sept 15, 2009 22:17:04 GMT
Channel surfing on Monday evening, I stopped and watched an episode of Boston Legal. The story involved the case of a doctor who, in New Orleans after Cyclone Katrina, had 'managed the pain' of a number of people suffering in the aftermath, by what the prosecution claimed was euthanasia. On more than one occasion the word euthanise was used, a word I had not heard before and which I thought should have been euthanase. Then, yesterday, in an interview on our ABC (radio) the person being interviewed also used the word euthanise. My Macquarie Dictionary lists only euthanasia, it does not define a verb. Dictionary.com does define euthanise, but makes no mention of euthanase. A Google search turns up references to euthanase, including this one from our ABC broadcaster. This suggests, possibly, that the use of euthanase or euthanise might be a regional thing. Does anyone have any thoughts on the use of the words?
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Post by Verbivore on Sept 15, 2009 23:10:02 GMT
Geoff:
I, too, frequently see euthanise, and every time the editor in me wants to change it to euthanase.
My reasoning is this:
Noun is euthanasia, hence any derived verb ought to be euthanase. Euthanise would be the verb formed from euthanisia, surely.
My Macquarie has entries for both.
Under that for euthanase it says:
Under the entry for euthanise:
As that second entry gives the "= euthanize" my suspicion is that the -ize version is US style. This is supported by my Merriam-Webster's, which has no entry for the -ase version, but under that for euthanize it gives an alternative of euthanatize.
SOED doesn't have a headword entry for the verb form, but has this note under the noun entry:
Not that one can reasonably hope to find logic in English, but I'll stick with that which I consider the more logical here, i.e. euthanase.
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Post by Geoff on Sept 16, 2009 9:48:39 GMT
That's what I would have thought, too.
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Post by jjg1 on Sept 16, 2009 16:57:43 GMT
Would it be easier just to call it murder?
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Post by Verbivore on Sept 16, 2009 22:21:55 GMT
Would it be easier just to call it murder? Not in my books! I strongly support Dr Philip Nitschke (a.k.a. Australia's "Dr Death") and have made all possible plans for my own dignified exit at the appropriate time (unassisted suicide). If I cannot manage that by myself, I hope that my family and closest friends will be legally allowed to assist me (assisted suicide, or euthanasia). Those people share my philosophy and are in agreement with my wishes, so it's just a matter of dealing with the (il)legalities. I've seen far too much of this pointless "living" in palliative care to want that for myself, thank you. I see no point in continuing to "live" as a vegetable, with no control over a body/mind that is past its use-by date, in gross discomfort, with no remaining dignity, utterly dependent upon other people and/or machines for the sake of some mythology to which I don't subscribe. Righto -- back to the spelling of the verb form.
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Post by Twoddle on Sept 16, 2009 22:38:24 GMT
I agree, Vv, and I've told the Contessa that if she exhibits the first sign of a mild cold, we're off for a short break in Switzerland.
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Post by jjg1 on Sept 16, 2009 22:44:56 GMT
Vv, I don't necessarily disagree with all you say; indeed, I think you are fortunate to be in a position where you can expect your family to carry out your wishes. My concern is for those unfortunate people who might find themselves unable to make such decisions for themselves, but whose families are only too keen to end their lives for them, for their own selfish reasons. As for the spelling of the "verb", I'm not sure there should be such a verb. Sounds to me like another made-up word from our American friends (sorry Dave !
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Post by Verbivore on Sept 16, 2009 22:55:58 GMT
[...] As for the spelling of the "verb", I'm not sure there should be such a verb. Sounds to me like another made-up word from our American friends (sorry Dave ! Late 19th century, according to SOED (but no clues as to country of origin).
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Post by jjg1 on Sept 16, 2009 23:17:44 GMT
I'm afraid I just don't like the word (either spelling and not just because it's a euphemism) and so, taking my lead from Le Comte de Twoddel, I refuse to recognise it.
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Post by Verbivore on Sept 17, 2009 9:27:41 GMT
Unrelated to euthanasia, but a neologistic verb from a compound noun ...
I found it really ugly, yet it fulfils a need, I suppose: "In 2000 we Civil Unioned each other [...]". Given that the pair in question had been partners for years, partnered would not describe their late-come ceremony*; and, as marriage is not yet available to them, what other term could be used that would clearly describe their act?
* That is CE-re-m'ny, not ce-re-MOANY! ;D
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Post by amanda on Sept 17, 2009 10:19:39 GMT
Unrelated to euthanasia, but a neologistic verb from a compound noun ... I found it really ugly, yet it fulfils a need, I suppose: "In 2000 we Civil Unioned each other [...]". Given that the pair in question had been partners for years, partnered would not describe their late-come ceremony *; and, as marriage is not yet available to them, what other term could be used that would clearly describe their act? * That is CE-re-m'ny, not ce-re-MOANY! ;D They united civilly?
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Post by Pete on Sept 27, 2009 0:19:25 GMT
Unrelated to euthanasia, but a neologistic verb from a compound noun ... I found it really ugly, yet it fulfils a need, I suppose: "In 2000 we Civil Unioned each other [...]". Given that the pair in question had been partners for years, partnered would not describe their late-come ceremony *; and, as marriage is not yet available to them, what other term could be used that would clearly describe their act? * That is CE-re-m'ny, not ce-re-MOANY! ;D They united civilly? Better than some marriages I have seen, which were decidedly uncivil. (Neither of mine were in that category, I hasten to add.)
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Post by Ravenmad on Jun 12, 2013 0:23:04 GMT
Bailliere's Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary...euthanatize - to perform euthanasia, also euthanize. Having said all that, I say euthanase...make more sense to me.
BTW...I love the name Verbivore
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Post by Verbivore on Jun 12, 2013 2:47:47 GMT
Bailliere's Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary...euthanatize - to perform euthanasia, also euthanize. Having said all that, I say euthanase...make more sense to me. BTW...I love the name Verbivore I must confess to having appropriated it from its coiner, the linguist Richard Lederer. For years if was also my business trading name, at which time some folk, because I had gone commercial, re-interpreted it to VerbiWhore.
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Post by Patsy on Jul 11, 2015 12:45:00 GMT
Geoff: I, too, frequently see euthanise, and every time the editor in me wants to change it to euthanase. My reasoning is this: Noun is euthanasia, hence any derived verb ought to be euthanase. Euthanise would be the verb formed from euthanisia, surely. My Macquarie has entries for both. Under that for euthanase it says: Under the entry for euthanise: As that second entry gives the "= euthanize" my suspicion is that the -ize version is US style. This is supported by my Merriam-Webster's, which has no entry for the -ase version, but under that for euthanize it gives an alternative of euthanatize. SOED doesn't have a headword entry for the verb form, but has this note under the noun entry: Not that one can reasonably hope to find logic in English, but I'll stick with that which I consider the more logical here, i.e. euthanase.
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