Saw this on my local news , looks like a road worker got a nasty zap

[Dustydazzler]

Workman electrocuted in Surrey after 'damage to underground cable'

The man was airlifted to hospital with serious injuries

www.getsurrey.co.uk

 

[Darkwood]

You would think a journalist would have a dictionary, so a man who by the heading has been killed (electrocuted) is still alive in hospital... they have one job, just one job and they failed!!! ?

 

[Rockingit]

You would think a journalist would have a dictionary, so a man who by the heading has been killed (electrocuted) is still alive in hospital... they have one job, just one job and they failed!!! ?

It can also be used to describe someone badly injured by electricity, not just killed

 

[loz2754]

It can also be used to describe someone badly injured by electricity, not just killed

Yes indeed. I used to think it meant killed, but in more recent definitions it can also apply to seriously injured.

 

[ipf]

Shocking use of the english language, Darkwood.

Weird one though.
I used to think the same.

 

[Darkwood]

Looking it up I unfortunately find the word is in deed migrating into a false meaning, given the word is formed by combining Electric and Execution and was blended together by the courts as a means to describe the act of putting someone to death with electric then IMHO it is both misleading and nonsensical but I guess we find thousands of similar examples of this over time so looks like its original meaning is slipping away and has no distinction anymore.

 

[ElectroChem]

Looking it up I unfortunately find the word is in deed migrating into a false meaning, given the word is formed by combining Electric and Execution and was blended together by the courts as a means to describe the act of putting someone to death with electric then IMHO it is both misleading and nonsensical but I guess we find thousands of similar examples of this over time so looks like its original meaning is slipping away and has no distinction anymore.

Much like the historical distinction between being hanged and hung. Give us a nice single word for 'injured by electricity' and we'll all get behind your push to standardise it.

 

[Lister1987]

If he was a subbie or working for/in a FNO capacity, it begs the question why he didn't 'Think before you dig', using the appropriate tool. Cat (cable avoidance tool), of course he may well of done and the device was faulty, we just don't know, sad either way.

 

[Darkwood]

Much like the historical distinction between being hanged and hung. Give us a nice single word for 'injured by electricity' and we'll all get behind your push to standardise it.

I ain't falling into your trap here ?, no one has said there has to be a single word, there is no need for a journalist to be restricted to using less words and simply put he could have said the guy was critically injured following an electric shock, while this word still attaches itself to its original meaning for many then the use of it should be done with caution, as a journalist he should have realised the word could be interpreted in a few different ways, one of which could cause unnecessary stress if someone thought their friend/relative was killed by reading the header when in fact he is by all means still alive.
I have to concede that the nature of the meaning of the word is changing, I don't have to like it and it still can be found in some dictionaries to hold only its original meaning meaning that using it has to come with some thought if it is reflecting on a person and an incident.

 

[ruston]

@Darkwood . I have a late 40's Newnes Family Dictionary, The correct definition as you stated is in there.

 

[Lister1987]

I ain't falling into your trap here ?, no one has said there has to be a single word, there is no need for a journalist to be restricted to using less words and simply put he could have said the guy was critically injured following an electric shock, while this word still attaches itself to its original meaning for many then the use of it should be done with caution, as a journalist he should have realised the word could be interpreted in a few different ways, one of which could cause unnecessary stress if someone thought their friend/relative was killed by reading the header when in fact he is by all means still alive.
I have to concede that the nature of the meaning of the word is changing, I don't have to like it and it still can be found in some dictionaries to hold only its original meaning meaning that using it has to come with some thought if it is reflecting on a person and an incident.

fewer. Fewer words, less wording ?

 

[ipf]

I have to concede that the nature of the meaning of the word is changing, I don't have to like it and it still can be found in some dictionaries to hold only its original meaning meaning that using it has to come with some thought if it is reflecting on a person and an incident.

Meaning, you haven't got the means to work out what meaning you mean?

 

[i=p/u]

I call him grumpy

 

[Micktw68]

Much like the historical distinction between being hanged and hung. Give us a nice single word for 'injured by electricity' and we'll all get behind your push to standardise it.

Surely thats getting a “packet”

 

[LukeD]

Its easy : electric shock or electrocuted .