2015-04-28 Communication: Euphemisms

Greg Malivuk
[email protected]
http://www.pastebin.com/u/gmalivuk
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euphemism: a more polite/indirect word or expression to avoid being rude
George Carlin: “The Seven Words You Can’t Say on Television”

extremities: hands/arms (upper extremities) and feet/legs (lower extremities)

plausible deniability: when you have a way to “pretend” (to yourself and others) that reality was different from what people think from your words

coin a word: create and use a word for the first time

euphemism treadmill: when the culture thinks a characteristic is negative itself, euphemisms for it will gradually become more and more negative in meaning

negro -> colored -> Black -> African-American (-> Black)

crippled -> handicapped -> disabled -> person with a disability
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senior citizen = old person, older person, elderly person
law-enforcement officer (LEO) = police officer or other law enforcement (not really a euphemism)
undertaker = the person who takes dead bodies from the house where they died (“mortician” is the person who prepares the body for the funeral)
collateral damage = additional unintended damage from an action (usually it means civilian deaths from a military action)
pro-choice = in favor of the right to choose abortion to end a pregnancy
(pro-life = against the right to choose abortion)
white meat = meat from the breast of chicken or turkey (“the other white meat” = pork)
adult video = pornographic video
economical with the truth = dishonest (especially lying by omission)
tired and emotional = drunk
visually impaired = blind (or partly blind)
substance abuser = drug addict
downsizing = making a company smaller by firing or laying off a bunch of employees
“Where can I wash my hands?” = Where is the bathroom?
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Homework: Be prepared to explain one or more euphemisms from your language (especially in an area *other* than death, sex, or bodily functions).