How long does a person have to be dead before it's no longer correct to refer to him as "The Late So-and-So"?

Question

I recently read a newspaper story that referred to the "late" Robert F. Kennedy. He's been dead for almost forty years. Could I say "the late Leonardo Da Vinci"? or "the late Genghis Khan"?

Answer 1

Yes you can, as soon as some one passes, they are the late_________

Answer 2

I think it's correct to refer to the dead as "the late ___". Perhaps it's just the way people use these words. So I believe it's grammatically correctly to say "the late Leonardo Da Vinci" or "the late Genghis Khan". Depends on which one is more appropriate.

Answer 3

Well ya have to admit "the late" sounds better than "the dead" or "the deceased"..=)
My Hubby has been gone since '91 and I still and probably always
will refer to him as my late Hubby,..is ironic cause the man was never on time either!=)
I don't think they refer to them as late if they died 100 years or more ago in history though..Unless they are making a point of it as in JFK...Ya know I don't think theres a die hard rule on it anyway,you be the judge..=)

Answer 4

14 hours 46 minutes and 12 seconds after that we call them the dead guy

Answer 5

You make a very good point. sadly i don't know the answer. Maybe someday we will find out. Until then, i guess we should just rely on the Late Jesus Christ!

Answer 6

I would say it is only 1 year, but JFK gets extended because he was so popular? Great question!!!!

Answer 7

hmm good question, i really dont know 4 sure, i guess mayb a cuple ov years

Answer 8

Good question.......

And if someone is dead, what exactly are they late for?