1. Read the following theoretical passage on euphemisms:
EUPHEMISMS
A source of synonymy also well worthy of note is the so-called euphemism in which by a shift of meaning a word of more or less ‘pleasant or at least inoffensive connotation becomes synonymous to one that is harsh, obscene, indelicate or otherwise unpleasant. The euphemistic expression merry fully coincides in denotation with the word drunk it substitutes, but the connotations of the latter fade out and so the utterance on the whole is milder, less offensive. The effect is achieved, because the periphrastic expression is not so harsh, sometimes jocular and usually motivated according to some secondary feature of the notion: naked : : in one’s birthday suit] pregnant : : in the family way. Very often a learned word which sounds less familiar is therefore less offensive, as in drunkenness : : intoxication; sweat : : perspiration.
Euphemisms can also be treated within the synchronic approach, because both expressions, the euphemistic and the direct one, co-exist in the language and form a synonymic opposition. Not only English but other modern languages as well have a definite set of notions attracting euphemistic circumlocutions. These are notions of death, madness, stupidity, drunkenness, certain physiological processes, crimes and so on. For example: die : : be no more : : be gone : : lose one’s life : : breathe one’s last : : join the silent majority : : go the way of alt flesh : : pass away : : be gathered to one’s fathers.
A prominent source of synonymic attraction is still furnished by interjections and swearing addressed to God. To make use of God’s name is considered sinful by the Church and yet the word, being expressive, formed the basis of many interjections. Later the word God was substituted by the phonetically similar word goodness: For goodness sake\ Goodness gracious] Goodness knows! Cf. By Jovel Good Lord! By Gum! As in:
His father made a fearful row.
He said: “By Gum, you’ve done it now.” (Belloc)
A certain similarity can be observed in the many names for the devil (deuce, Old Nick). The point may be illustrated by an example from Burns’s “Address to the Devil":
О thou! Whatever title suit thee,
Auld Hornie, Satan, Nick, or Clootie ...
Euphemisms always tend to be a source of new synonymic formations, because after a short period of use the new term becomes so closely connected with the notion that it turns into a word as obnoxious as the earlier synonym.
(I.V. Arnold, from “The English Word”)
According to Writing English, the enthusiastic adoption in recent years of what is euphemistically termed political correctness has been responsible for creating many euphemisms. Similarly, many occupational fields, such as social work, nursing, and medicine, have spawned new terms that effectively mask or change the meaning of those that they replace. Here is a selection of commonly used euphemisms. (source: http://www.writingenglish.com/euphemism.htm).
- Administrative Assistant - an important sounding name for secretary
- take under advisement - a pompous term for consider
- air support - a more pleasant sounding term for bombing and strafing
- altogether - naked
- expecting - pregnant. The term replaces the connection to impregnate with expect.
- antipersonnel weapon - any weapon designed to kill people.
- appropriate - seize, steal A term that removes any guilt or disgrace for wrongdoing.
- athletic supporter - jock strap. The neutral term removes any imagery conjured up by jock strap or locker room.
- author - writer
- body count - dead body count. An inoffensive term for the number of deaths suffered
- break off hostilities (or contact from the enemy) - retreat The euphemism removes any shame or disgrace.
- capital punishment - an impersonal term for execution
- casualty - victim
- comfort station - public toilet
- confidential source - an informer
- consultant - an advisor
- correctional facility - prison
- covert operation - burglary, assassination, or any illegal operation carried out surreptitiously
- custodian - janitor
- deep six - to destroy evidence
- deliver ordnance - drop bombs (on) or fire missiles (at)
- dentures - false teeth
- detainee - a term that differs in meaning from what it replaces, namely prisoner
- disadvantaged - poor. This politically correct term removes any need for personal responsibility for finding oneself in that state.
- dispatch - kill
- downward adjustment - corporate doubletalk for a reduction
- Dutch treat - hardly a treat as it means that each pays his or her share
- effluent - sewage
- erratum - a term for error. It is used by those who find it difficult to admit that their work contains errors.
- erroneous report - doubletalk for a lie
- euthanize - kill (a person who is sick, senile, etc.)
- expire - to die
- extramarital - adulterous
- fabrication - a lie
- family way (in a) - pregnant
- flight attendant - a politically correct for what was formerly stewardess
- foundation garment - a girdle or corset
- free world - All friends of the United States
- friendly fire - a military term to denote an attack on oneself or one's forces by one's own forces or allies
- gay - a word that has been hijacked to mean homosexual
- golden years - old age
- halitosis - bad breath
- handyman's special - a word in real estate for a house that is in great need of repair
- harvest - kill, a word used in the context of killing seals, whales, or other mammals. It minimizes ages and any sense of guilt
- head - a yachting or boating term for toilet
- homemaker - housewife
- homicide - murder
- Imbibe - to drink (alcohol)
- indisposed - sick
- inoperative - false. A statement that is inoperative is a lie.
- journalist - a newspaper or magazine reporter
- liberate - often used with a straight face for conquer
- lingerie - women's underwear
- little boys' room - toilet
- loss - death. A term used in reference to the death of someone who was close
- love child - bastard
- meaningful dialogue - conversation
- mixed breed - mongrel
- mobile home - trailer
- monument - tombstone or other grave marker
- not doing well - dying
- outhouse - outdoor toilet
- outplacement - finding a job for the employee for the fired employee
- over flight - an illegal flight into the airspace of another country
- pass away - to die
- plausible denial - official lying
- police action - a war not sanctioned by Congress
- pre-emptive strike - a surprise (sneak) attack
- prevaricate - to lie
- previously owned - second hand, used.
- prosthesis - an artificial hand, leg, or other human part
- public relations - activities designed to elicit a favorable public attitude towards a corporation, institution, product, or service
- put down/put to sleep - to kill (an animal)
- reconnaissance in force - search and destroy
- remains - a dead body
- reverse engineering - corporate doubletalk for copy
- sacrifice - to kill in the name of science or religion, etc. (e.g., to sacrifice laboratory animals)
- sanitize - to destroy evidence
- secure facility - an escape-proof jail or prison
- senior citizen - old person
- sensitive - secret. A term applied to documents, often those that constitute evidence of wrong doing
- sight-deprived - blind
- slack fill - corporate doubletalk for partially empty
- social disease - venereal disease
- source of information - informant or spy
- special - handicapped
- stonewall - to obstruct justice. To admit nothing, deny, cover up
- surreptitious entry - an illegal break-in
- surveillance - spying
- white lie - a lie, although supposedly harmless
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