[Grammar] RE: Hung vs. Hanged

[monsterjazzlicks]

RE: Hung vs. Hanged

Hi folks,

I have always thought that when a person has been 'hung' (ie. executed) then the description of such an action would be:

"He was hung on 19th September, 1911."​

Or,

"They were both hung on the same day."​

But, it seems that everyone says:

"He was hanged on 19th September, 1911."​

Or,

"They were both hanged on the same day."​

To me, 'hanged' has always sounded somewhat wrong?

Many thanks for any assistance offered.

Paul

 

[teechar]

Re: Hung vs. Hanged

Take a look at the following link, and post back if you need further help on this.

http://grammarist.com/usage/hanged-hung/

 

[GoesStation]

Re: Hung vs. Hanged

Back when hanging people to kill them was common, people who had been killed that way were supposedly* referred to as "hanged". Nowadays most people would say "hung", but those of us who are aware of the distinction will say "hanged".

*(I qualified my statement because I don't know whether this was common usage or not.)

 

[monsterjazzlicks]

Re: Hung vs. Hanged

Take a look at the following link, and post back if you need further help on this.

http://grammarist.com/usage/hanged-hung/

Hi Teechar,

I was not sure how the video link was relevant to my question; but the text (upon scrolling down) was, thanks.

So, because the subject matter is relating to 'death', hanged is used instead of hung?

Paul

 

[monsterjazzlicks]

Re: Hung vs. Hanged

Back when hanging people to kill them was common, people who had been killed that way were supposedly* referred to as "hanged". Nowadays most people would say "hung", but those of us who are aware of the distinction will say "hanged".

*(I qualified my statement because I don't know whether this was common usage or not.)

Thanks GoesStation,

Apart from myself, I have never heard anyone use the term (as in the context described above) 'hung'.

I need to fathom out the meaning of 'participle' as this is not a term I am familiar with.

Paul

 

[monsterjazzlicks]

Re: Hung vs. Hanged

Hi,

I forgot to mention, my main reason for asking is because I want to include a sentence (in the story I am writing) about a prisoner who hangs himself in his cell (or is found to be hanging).

Paul

 

[GoesStation]

Re: Hung vs. Hanged

Here are two sentences:
1) John Wilkes Booth was hanged. (He wasn't really; he was shot to death.)
2) After the court pronounced the sentence, the marshal hanged Booth.

In sentence 1, hanged is the past participle of the verb "to hang". In sentence 2, it's the simple past form of that verb. When you use the same verb for other uses, its past participle and simple past forms are both hung.

 

[GoesStation]

Re: Hung vs. Hanged

I forgot to mention, my main reason for asking is because I want to include a sentence (in the story I am writing) about a prisoner who hangs himself in his cell (or is found to be hanging).

I'm confident that the vast majority of Anglophones would say he had hung himself and was found to have been hung.​

 

[teechar]

Re: Hung vs. Hanged

Hi Teechar,
I was not sure how the video link was relevant to my question; but the text (upon scrolling down) was. Thanks.

You're welcome, Paul.

So, because the subject matter is relating/related to 'death', is hanged [STRIKE]is[/STRIKE] used instead of hung?

Basically, yes. You're welcome to post the sentence you have in mind here, and we can check that for you.

 

[monsterjazzlicks]

Re: Hung vs. Hanged

You're welcome to post the sentence you have in mind here, and we can check that for you.

Cheers.

I will post the paragraph once I have tuned it as well as I can.

Paul

 

[monsterjazzlicks]

Re: Hung vs. Hanged

Here are two sentences:
1) John Wilkes Booth was hanged. (He wasn't really; he was shot to death.)
2) After the court pronounced the sentence, the marshal hanged Booth.

In sentence 1, hanged is the past participle of the verb "to hang". In sentence 2, it's the simple past form of that verb. When you use the same verb for other uses, its past participle and simple past forms are both hung.

Thanks GS,

I will try to absorb what you have kindly written.

Cheers,

Paul

 

[teechar]

Re: Hung vs. Hanged

If it's longer than a couple of sentences, please post it to the Editing & Writing Topics sub-forum.

 

[bubbha]

Re: Hung vs. Hanged

I learned as a kid that "hanged" is used for the "noose around the neck" method of killing, whereas "hung" is for everything else: "I hung the picture on the wall."

 

[probus]

Re: Hung vs. Hanged

I learned as a kid that "hanged" is used for the "noose around the neck" method of killing, whereas "hung" is for everything else: "I hung the picture on the wall.

I agree, bubbha. Hanged is used only to indicate the death of people, whether by execution or suicide. Otherwise we use hung. But hung can also be used in relation to the death of people.

 

[monsterjazzlicks]

Re: Hung vs. Hanged

If it's longer than a couple of sentences, please post it to the Editing & Writing Topics sub-forum.

Teechar,

The whole story is, so far, only a couple of sentences!

Paul

 

[teechar]

Re: Hung vs. Hanged

Give it time. ;-)

 

[Tdol]

Re: Hung vs. Hanged

Hi,

I forgot to mention, my main reason for asking is because I want to include a sentence (in the story I am writing) about a prisoner who hangs himself in his cell (or is found to be hanging).

You will make the purists happy if you use hanged, and won't annoy everyone else.

 

[GoesStation]

Re: Hung vs. Hanged

You will make the purists happy if you use hanged, and won't annoy everyone else.

It will look odd (and, to me, be annoying) if you put that word in dialogue spoken by anyone other than someone presented as a particularly careful speaker. I'd be fine seeing it in a narrative.

 

[GoesStation]

Re: Hung vs. Hanged

I probably should have said a particularly careful (or British) speaker. I'm pretty sure that few Americans are aware of this difference, though it is something I've heard discussed by Americans interested in language.

 

[teechar]

Re: Hung vs. Hanged

So, would AmE speakers also use "She hanged that picture on the wall?" I'm genuinely curious to know.