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Hung - exception to the rule

Date: Dec 13 2007

Topic: Grammar

Author: Lesmundo2003

Lesson


'hung' is the past of 'to hang', with 1 main exception.


A form of punishment many years ago in England, was trying a knotted looped rope around the neck (a noose) & releasing a trapdoor under the person. Therefor killing the person by using their own weight, to break their neck & the spinal cord.


Spinal cord - the cylindrical bundle of nerve fibres & associated tissue that is enclosed in the spine (backbone) & connects nearly all parts of the body to the brain. It forms the central nervous system.


If the spinal cord was not severed, the more unfortunate victims would suffer great pain as the partially broken bones would tear into them with their struggles & eventually die of suffocation. Not being able to breathe.


 It would be incorrect to say - "that person was hung".

The correct way - "that person was hanged". 


The way I was taught - "a dog is hung, a man is hanged"

In my opinion, not a nice way to educate a child, talking about cruelty to animals  :-(


Comments

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gokuh

gokuh

India

good lesson. i learnt sth out of this

08:06 AM Jan 04 2008 |

charger

charger

Palestinian Territory, Occupied

thank you head , it was really interesting lesson ,

11:16 PM Jan 03 2008 |

papercoet

papercoet

Indonesia

nice word

02:21 PM Jan 03 2008 |

Mbassey Bojang

Gambia

What I see hung is not sound in sentence for sample

you cann't say the policeman hung the man but is sound that to say the policeman hanged the man. 

03:23 PM Jan 02 2008 |

udayakumar

India

thanks for ur lession

06:25 AM Jan 02 2008 |

kunji

India

is it possible to improve my language

 

05:48 AM Jan 02 2008 |

kunji

India

hi guys

I also want to improve my vocabulary. I think all of you will help me to attain this height.

 

05:46 AM Jan 02 2008 |

anjalapang

anjalapang

Malaysia

hang on my friend…........don't choose to hung yourself. Is true life is so valueable. So many thing you need to do in your life. So think about it.

03:10 AM Jan 02 2008 |

BaRbIcAn88

BaRbIcAn88

United Arab Emirates

ThAnKs

 

 

4 Go0D LeSoN

03:02 AM Jan 02 2008 |

Arsal

Arsal

Pakistan

ye u can say that hung is the past and past part of hang but i think any1 who learns english will follow the new word HANG

11:44 PM Jan 01 2008 |

yanchangsheng1016@126.com

China

There are many strange words

03:00 AM Dec 31 2007 |

roytian

China

sorry,I don't konw

04:36 AM Dec 30 2007 |

Lesmundo2003

Spain

answer to 'Yammi' – is on page 8 – at  02:32 AM Dec 24 2007

but a few more versions below:


With normal grammar – 'hanged' is the past of a person that has been executed by that method. Rope around the neck & dropped. 


So a possible story line could include:

• The man killed with intention & so was convicted of murder. In 1947, he was hanged.


-

With normal grammar – 'hung' is the past for anything that was suspended, except that type of human execution.

• I have put out the clothes on the washing line. They have hung there for the last 2 hours.

• I hung the towels up, next to the bath.

• The clouds hung over the city & we knew there was going to be a downpour. (rain) 

• He hung the phone up, even as I was taking to him. (another form – to disconnect the phone)

• Sorry I'm late, I was hung up in traffic (another form – delayed as in, just hanging around with nothing to do)

• There was no decisive decision on his guilt or innocence. It was a hung jury (a jury of 12, where 6 vote 1 way & the other 6 vote the opposite way)

• A hung parliament (same as with hung jury)

• I was so hung over (the phrase is 'hung over') because last night, I drank too much. (ref to alcohol)



A couple of slang versions have been added:

page 8 – 02:51 PM Dec 23 2007

page 8 – 02:43 AM Dec 24 2007


& a Happy New Year to all  :))


03:27 PM Dec 29 2007 |

alogigi

alogigi

United States

Thanks a lot

Happy New Year !!

gigi

05:28 AM Dec 29 2007 |

Yammi

China

thank you for your lessoin ,but Could you tell me when will  "hung " form be used ?

04:59 AM Dec 29 2007 |

jack_854100

China

oh ,nice to meet you at here,i learned many things at here ,thank you

02:20 AM Dec 29 2007 |

king ibro

Somalia

yup

 

04:27 PM Dec 28 2007 |

tanyanghui

China

thanks

02:31 PM Dec 28 2007 |

sharifqassim

Saudi Arabia

how you learn english

02:10 PM Dec 28 2007 |

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