At 11:08 PM 3/17/97 +0000, Mike Medley wrote:
 
> Upon looking in my 1990 edition of the Oxford Concise Dictionary, I
> had to chuckle when I saw that for 12 of the 13 possible meanings listed
>for the verb 'hang,' the past and past participle is 'hung.'  ONLY for  'sense
>number 7'  ('suspend or be suspended by the neck with a noosed rope') is
>'hanged' to be used. Does 'hanged' have even half a chance of survival?
 
Mike,
 
I'm afraid you're right.  Poor 'hanged' may soon be extinct.  But what a sad
loss; just listen to the difference between the sound of 'hung' and the
sound of 'hanged' - do you agree that the latter is much more effective for
"sense number 7" than the former?
 
Just HUNGing around,
 
Paul E. Doniger
[log in to unmask]