This week's theme for the email "Word A Day" is, "There's a word for it".
I never thought about "hired mourners" but yes,
they do exist, and there is a word for it:
"A.Word.A.Day
moirologist
PRONUNCIATION:(moy-ROL-uh-jist)
MEANING:noun: A hired mourner.
NOTES:There are some things in life money can't buy, for everything else, there's Mastercard. With the right credit card you could even hire mourners for your funeral or find the right sentiment. While researching this word, I came across websites that offer "eulogy packs". One such site lists a "Mother's Eulogy pack" that includes "9 speeches, 3 poems, 3 free bonus". Only $25.95 -- have your credit card ready. Fathers go cheaper: $19.97.
. Professional mourners are not a new thing either -- there's a long tradition going back to ancient Greece and beyond. As late as 1908 a New York Times article reported on a professional mourners' strike in Paris."
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What do you think? Sounds like an easy job and there would NOT be age discrimination so even I might qualify at age 79. And then I could attend the reception afterwards and enjoy the company and the food?
Or perhaps "wedding crasher" might be a more upbeat hobby? Just drop by the country club or hotel and find a wedding reception in progress and blend in for the food, wine, dancing and mingle either as "distant relative of bride or groom"
Life is dull around here ;)
8 comments:
I think I'd rather be a wedding crasher than a mourner!! The food would be better and the music livelier!
I agree with Kenju as I am getting old enough to find funerals a little too real if you know what I mean! I myself would consider being someone's personal shopper or perhaps a wealthy elder's escort in travel?
That's incredible! Can people be so obsessed with numbers attending a funeral that they would actually hire strangers, or anybody to attend? I guess so based on your research.
There are some funerals/memorial services that can be pretty lively as more people plan their own events before dying and leave instructions they want everyone to have a fun time.
Someplace in the dim recesses of my mind I remember reading about hired mourners who wailed loudly. Maybe the family thought that would compensate for their lack of emotion. (Might be that they were happy to see the old goat expire at last.)
No way Jose. That would never be the job for me. Even being detached from the family, I wouldn't want to be around the death of someone if I didn't have to be. I agree with Kenju too....bring on the weddings.
Years ago when I was single, I remember attending weddings were "the fellows" who lived in the neighborhood would "crash" the wedding.
No one objected - that way if there was a shortage of fellows, the girls had someone to dance with!
Hi, Chancy. Finally cathing up on long-overdue blog visiting. Don't know if I would enjoy being a paid mourner, but if you ever want to crash a wedding, call me!
When I lived in NY City in the Fifties we would routinely crash a wedding or reception in the big hotels...it was our way of augmenting our slim paychecks with food and drink!
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