Epithet or Epitaph?

An epithet can be part of an epitaph, but can an epitaph be an epithet? This is an odd question, and may bleed insight into my mind or just leave you puzzled. Either way, let us ponder our language we love to hate so dearly.

Getting started, I navigated to Google and employed the definition look up feature. Ah, this world is so convenient lately. As I read into these two peculiar words I found some definitions. An epithet is a name: a defamatory or abusive word or phrase. It is also defined as a descriptive word or phrase. I found the latter confounding. Most of the epithets I know are not all that descriptive at all, albeit I moved on to the definition of epitaph. The definition reads: an inscription on a tombstone or monument in memory of the person buried there. The secondary definition calls it a summary statement of commemoration for a dead person.

Back to my original question, which now can be pondered more delicately? While I doubt many choose epithets to be placed on their tombstone in an epitaph, surely it has happened. But who would use an epitaph as an epithet?

I would. So when I tell you to ‘rest in peace’ you should know I am throwing an epithet at you. It meets the definition, right? It could mean you are going to die soon. Or maybe I am just wishing death upon you. Obviously this is an epithetical use of an epitaph, success. I somehow cannot determine how to be descriptive or insulting with the words ‘in remembrance of’ or ‘gone but never forgotten.’

So it seems logical that these two phrases are not completely interchangeable. Although it seems that any epithet could become an epitaph, the converse is not true. In this way we can define a logical relationship. To take some liberty with mathematical terms I would like to deem epithets a subset of epitaphs. That is, every epithet can be an epithet. All epithets are completely contained within the definition of epitaphs but not all epitaphs are within the definition of epithet. Therefore we have a superset (epitaphs) and a subset (epithets.)

Hmm. If you followed that I am impressed. Now I just need to figure out why I was pondering this in the first place. It all started with some lyrics from a song. It is called Daylight by Aesop Rock. I cannot recommend it highly enough. Just listen to it; over and over.


…You won't be laughing when your front lawn is spangled with epitaphs…
-Aesop Rock