I don’t normally do requests, but this one came from Katherine Galbraith, and those of us who know her and love her would never ignore a request from her.

As I understand it, a discussion broke out in one of her bridge clubs as to the use of “went missing.” The consensus of the group was that it is an ugly expression, if not outright improper use of the language.

So, someone suggested, “We should call Mike Hall and ask him.”

Flattering, but I continue to insist I’m a journalist, not a grammarian. Those two worlds rarely come in contact with each other.

Still, I had to agree the term had always struck me as being strange.

A search of the Internet found lots of messages from people who didn’t like the term, but the closest I came to understanding its origin was  on the website “Grammar Girl” — http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com.

It is operated by Mignon Fogarty, author of “The Grammar Devotional.”

Among her claims to fame is publication of a “pet peeve of the year.” In 2007 it was “went missing,” based on the number of votes it received from her followers.

Her advice to the media: “ ‘Went missing’ actually isn't wrong, but it annoys a lot of Americans , so you might want to say missing or disappeared every once in a while.”

She and other language experts agree the term seems to have originated in England, explaining why it sounds strange to American ears.

“My version of the Oxford English Dictionary places the first use in a 1958 book by British writer Norman Franks,” Fogarty wrote. “The OED places 'gone missing' in the same category as the phrase ‘ go native,’ which is used to describe a turn to or relapse into savagery or heathenism. I've also heard the term ‘go native’ used to describe the transition a newcomer to Washington, D.C., undergoes as he or she accepts the government bureaucracy, which I suppose could be considered turning to savagery or heathenism.”

So, even though the term is strangely annoying, there is logic behind its use, she noted. It’s no more illogical, she argued, than using the term “go begging.”

“It's possible," Fogarty wrote, “that this British term has gained footing in the American media because of the high-profile disappearance of British girl Madeline McCann in May 2007. The McCann story received wall-to-wall news coverage for weeks, and this is just speculation, but it may be that the constant reporting by British journalists about how the girl “went missing” subtly influenced American reporters to adopt the term.

So, bridge club ladies, you have had your one allowed request fulfilled.

Mike Hall can be reached

at mike.hall@cjonline.com.