Hanged vs Hung

[SarahRTW]

Hanged and Hung are not interchangeable.  I expect that native English speakers get this one mixed up frequently too.  I know I have to pause and think about which one is which.

HANGED: Is when a person died by being dangled by a rope, either as suicide, murder or capital punishment.

"The thief was found guilty and sentenced to death by being hanged from a rope"

HUNG: is what you do to a picture or decoration

"The family picture hung over the large fireplace."

So, now you know!

[sayitwell]

When Ariel Castro hanged himself I heard a lot of media personalities say "hung himself" when they should have said "hanged himself" or so I was taught in school.  When someone commits suicide by hanging themselves do you say "hanged" or "hung"?

[BWL]

There is also a similar confusion between "lighted" and "lit". I usually "he lighted the candle". But I also say "her smile lit up the room".

Would the difference be one of semantics - "lighted" being used with physically burning things like candles and bonfires while "lit" being used for others?

[SarahRTW]

Hanged vs. Hung:  Ariel Castro HANGED (not hung) himself.  Even the media uses words improperly sometimes.  I don't know how well the distinction between these two words is known.  I admit, I get them mixed up sometimes, too.    HANGED refers to to any kind of death by rope: execution, murder or suicide. 

Lighted vs Lit: Good question. My initial reaction is to say it's a regional difference, say, between UK and US English.  I don't know for sure, so I'll check and get back on that one.

[moorecoby]

Wow I never really knew that thanks for the English knowledge my friend.

[andre92]

I never really took the time to acknowledge that but thanks for teaching me that lesson which I probably forgot.

[ashwinr1]

This is something that has confused me too! Thanks for the clarification!

[Guest chives152]

Wow! I never noticed that this was not the same word. I always use hung because it just seems natural to me. I guess it just seems like you would use the same word for hanging a person like you would hanging a picture.

[TABL]

I'm always annoyed when someone says a person hung himself.  :confused:  so many words in the English language are confusing. 

[DiesIrae]

I feel bad because I giggle when someone uses hung on a person who killed himself using a rope. I do try my best to not respond and say they should just ask for help to be put down and then I realise just how that sounds.

[limon]

Blazing Saddles has a good, if a bit crude, joke about it that is one of my favorites in the movie.