In Bierma's column today in the Chicago Tribune, he discusses the use of the phrase "went missing" or "gone missing" or "go missing" to describe a disappearance, as in "A child went missing today." The use is generally used by the media. Apparently William Saffire discussed this in a NYT article, and quoted the BBC News Styleguide, which said, "'Go missing' is inelegant and unpopular with many people, but its use is widespread. There are no easy synonyms." Then Bierma says that "Is missing" doesn't do the job when talking about a sudden and suspicious disappearance. Why not? It does for me, but I must be missing something, what with the BBC News Styleguide on Bierma's side!

My wallet is missing.

My left shoe is missing.

The Lindbergh baby is missing.

My book is missing.

I agree, Sean, but apparently the media are reporting "went missing" and "gone missing" when it is a sudden and suspicious disappearance. I can't say that I've even ever read that, but that's how Bierma reported it.

Yesterday it wasn't missing.
Today it is missing.
It has gone missing.

How can you recast the last sentence without altering its meaning?

Not only have I never said, "it has gone missing," but I don't think I 've ever heard it. I suppose in that situation I'd say, "It has been missing." Or..."it is missing" works for me, for either day. Today it is missing, but if I am talking about it having been missing a week ago, I'd most likely say, "It has been missing since the 10th." Or just plain, "It is missing."

I am not saying that I'm right; that's just the way I'm used to saying it.

Maybe it's a UK thing. I definitely see a different meaning in "gone missing" (it was here, now it's not) and "missing" (I don't know where it is.) One is a state the other is a transition from one state to another.

There is a difference. "gone missing" seems to me like one of those impersonal verbs in French or Spanish. The homework forget itself to me. Nothing I did voluntarily to help it disappear. Reflexive verbs. My keys have gone missing. Sounds like they got up and walked away. Or maybe gremlins took them. [Later, I found this article online. See pp.47-8]

How productive is the syntax, though?

NP + has gone + Adj

We have "gone away", "gone awry", (OK, these first two are adverbs), "gone wrong", "gone red", why not "gone missing"?

It does seems to be a UK English phenomenon. Here's an interesting article.

[Edit: to add link to Spanish linguistics paper (in English).]

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