According
to Rawson, euphemisms are powerful linguistic tools that “are embedded so
deeply
in our language that few of us, even those who pride themselves on being
plainspoken,
ever
get through a day without using them” (Linfoot-Ham, 2005, 228). The need for
euphemism
is
both social and emotional, as it allows discussion of taboo subjects (such as
sex, personal
appearances
or religion) and acts as a pressure valve whilst maintaining the appearance of civility (Linfoot-Ham, 2005).
A
euphemism is a substitution of an agreeable or less offensive expression in place of one
that
may offend or suggest something unpleasant to the receiver, or to make it less
troublesome
for
the speaker. The deployment of euphemisms is a central aspect within the public
application
of
political correctness. It may also substitute a description of something or
someone to avoid
revealing
secret, holy, or sacred names to the uninitiated, or to obscure the identity of
the subject
of
a conversation from potential eavesdroppers. Some euphemisms are intended
to
amuse. The English word “euphemism” is
found for the first time in a book written in 1656 by Thomas Blount,
Glossographia [Burchfield 1985: 13]; it comes from Greek euphèmismos, which is
itself derived from the adjective euphèmos, “of good omen” (from eu, ‘good’,
and phèmi, ‘I say’). Etymologically speaking, a euphemism is linked to taboos,
and traditionally consists in replacing the original signifier, perceived as
being offensive or unpleasant, by another one; it is often referred to as a
“veil” or a “shroud” thrown over the signified, as if to conceal it.
Types of Euphemisms
Within the definition of euphemism, there are many different sub-categories. Here are some of the different types of euphemisms:- Phonetic modification: We modify strong swear words or words that are not meant to be spoken lightly (i.e., God or Jesus) so that the new phonetic euphemism sounds very similar to the original, but just different enough so that it’s inoffensive. Modifications may take the case of shortening the word or expression (Jeez, What the); intentional mispronunciations (shoot, shut the front door, dang, fudge); or using an acronym or one letter to represent the curse word (WTF, B-word, A-hole).
- Figures of speech: Many euphemisms come in the form of different figures of speech. These may be ambiguous statements (let’s do it, she’s a piece of work); metaphors (make the beast with two backs, a visit from the stork, kick the bucket); or other understatements or comparisons.
- Slang: Plenty of slang terms come to stand for taboo words or expressions. Since slang can vary greatly from one region or country to the next, at times some expressions have very different euphemistic meanings. For example, in the USA, “pissed” means angry, whereas in the UK it means drunk.
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