Falling over Vs having a fall

[BuzzyWeeThing]

I fell over while at work. It was a bad fall, I was carrying things so I did not put my hands out fully to protect myself. I landed on my face. My DP was phoned and was told I had ‘had a fall’. I’m 45 and fell over, I’m not elderly and had a fall. Word got round work and I’ve had messages saying they’ve heard I’ve had a fall. Grrr I’m feeling old now.

I think you only enter the category of “having a fall” when you are pushing 80. I’m in my sixties. A few years ago I was dancing, pissed, on a table, ended up on the floor with a twisted knee and sprained ankle. That definitely wasn’t “having a fall.”

If you are under 75 you fall over. Over 75 you have a fall.

This is my thoughts too!

The difference is how people react if people laugh, you fell over and are still young. If people panic and ask if you need an ambulance you had a fall and you're now old

I hate the phrase 'had a fall' 'fell over' far better but there's definitely a distinction

We have had exactly the same conversation. I thought the turning point is around 60, but OP is 45.

I suppose I’d distinguish the two (in my own head) as I fell over - tripped / hazard fall and had a fall - just buckled and fell without an obvious trigger.

I had a very stupid falling over incident due to incorrect lacing of my walking boots, I was mortified that two men rushed over to help me up like I was infirm so immediately jumped up declaring I was fine and carried on what I was doing but actually it really bloody hurt and I should've stopped and iced my knee, have since had weeks of knee pain which is only just easing.

The thing that made me feel worse, was while sitting in A&E after my accident, there were many elderly people sat there who were there as they had ‘had a fall’ and on the wall was lots of advice on how to avoid “having a fall’.
On the accident form for work, I emphasised the fact it was a fall over.
I got a lovely bunch of flowers from my managers. I’m on annual leave now so I’m hoping it will all be forgotten about by the time I return.

The final stage of falling is when “had a fall” gains capital letters, a short pause and knowing look, and is delivered in hushed tones. “She…Had A Fall 😏”. You’re definitely not superannuated enough for that type of mishap.

They’re saying you had a fall because of your age- you won’t heal or feel the same as a ten year old!!! Hope you’re ok x

Completely agree, falling over and having a fall are very different. You tripped, with your hands full, and face planted. Awful but very different from falling from a dizzy spell or mobility issues. Hope you feel better soon

My GP defined it as "If your friends laugh before they help you up, you fell over. If people rush to help, you had a fall."

I am in my mid sixties and twice in the past year I have made involuntary full body contact with the ground damaging a different knee each time. The first time I was at home and able to pull myself up by hanging on to what was around me, the second time I was in the middle of the road and needed assistance to get up. Both times I admit to having had a fall.

We are at the half way house on this where if someone falls you wait a few seconds to see if they are actually injured before you laugh - or not! Although sometimes it's involuntary if it is a very comedic fall.

Or indeed a ‘mono-bosom’!

Definitely a matronly asset.

It’s always girls that have a “bosom” friend!

Could it be to do with the active/passive implications? You actively fall, but having a fall makes you sound less in control -it’s more like something which happens to you and implies you’re more vulnerable?

In the days of covering up piano legs because they were considered indecent there was also a feeling that chicken breast was a bit rude, so apparently genteel people would carve the bosom of the bird.

Ridiculous to us, but if we’re honest, we do a huge amount of fussing and euphemising today too - we just don’t think of it in that way.

lol I was thinking this exact thing a few days ago 😂 I looked in the mirror at my bra less reflection (was wearing a top) and thought, have I now got what my old aunt used to call boooozoms. Once you start looking like Les Dawson’s character with the heaving ‘bosom’. 😂

Yes I think the difference is a specific outside object caused you to fall over (an uneven kerb, a slippery surface) but a fall is when it’s your own body that has caused the fall.

🤣🤣

I have small breasts so I might miss out on the “heaving “bosom!” 🤣

I envy you. 😁

Sorry for derail…you’ve reminded me of a tiny lady I used to work with who had ginormous bosoms. I’m surprised she could stand up. One day in the office she said”Ooh - I just leaned forward and me boozies were typing for me!”

She could have been played by Babs Windsor for sure.

Ill get my coat…

If you like lingustics, you'll like this: In southern Africa, if someone says "my father is late", it means he has died.
Extrapolated from "the late So-and-So".