Euphemisms
Euphemism (eu=well, phemi=I speak) is a way of speaking by which an unpleasant, improper or offensive thing is designed by an indirect and milder term.
The roots of euphemism lie in religion, taboo which dictated to avoid using certain term, such as words connected with death, sacred beings, devil, etc. Such euphemisms are called superstitious taboos.
They have their roots in the distant past of mankind when people believed that there was a supernatural link between a name and the object or creature which it represented. Therefore, all the words denoting evil spirits, dangerous animals or the powers of nature were taboo: if uttered, it was believed that unspeakable disasters would result not only for the speaker but also for those near him. That is why such creatures, object and phenomena threatening danger were called in a round-about descriptive way. So, a dangerous animal might be described as '4he one-walking-in-the-wood", eg.
The Christian religion also made certain words taboo. The bear of calling the devil by name was inherited from ancient beliefs; the word "devil" became taboo, and a number of euphemisms began to substitute it: the Prince of Darkness, the black one, Old Nick, etc. Now the English language has the proverb "Speak of the devil and he will come".
Since the 16th century, when the use of the words old, Jesus and Trinity was forbidden in profane language, there appeared a great number of substitutes: god -Lord, the Maker, Good Lord, goodness gracious, cot, gosh, etc.
Even in Modern times most people are reluctant to use the word "to die". It has the following euphemisms "to pass away, to depart this life, to go the way of all flesh,
to join the majority, to go to another world, etc. In the insurance companies people write: If anything should happen to me..."
Euphemism has become a widely used phenomenon in Modern English, it has spread to many spheres of life. Such euphemisms are called social taboos.
Medicine and different diseases: Some people object to phrases like "AIDS sufferers, mental patients or the handicapped" because they seem to emphasize the illness or disability, rather than the person. So, when referring to people who are ill or disabled, try to use expressions that emphasize the person:
- a person living with AIDS
- a hospital for people who are mentally ill
- programmers for people with disabilities
- people who are learning disabled or have learning difficulties or have special needs
- people who are visually impaired
- people who are hearing impaired
When someone has died, people usually avoid mentioning death directly when they speak to a family or friends of that person. They often say "pass away, pass on" instead of "die" or they use in direct expressions such as "I am sorry for your loss", or "I was sorry to hear about your father / mother".
The phrases "mental home or mental hospital" now have become old-fashioned and are no longer considered polite. It is recommended to use a "psychiatric hospital", "sanatorium".
A mad person is described as "insane", "unstable", m.d., "unbalanced; in colloquial speech some people say to be wrong in the upper storey", "loony", "not quite right", etc., in slang - "cuckoo".
Some other diseases and medicines:
loosener - слабительное
social disease - венерическое заболевание
summer complaints - расстройство желудка
back-door-trot – понос
artillery - пища, вызывающая газы "Pregnancy":
to have a belly; she has eaten beans; to be with a baby coming; in the interesting condition; in a delicate condition, in the family way, babyed, apron-up (coll), in pig shape (coll).
Monthly periods:
Aunt Minnie, my aunt Minnie is here, to have a visit from one's friend, flowers, to have a visitor, monthly period, etc. Men:
love bird - любовник, old rooster, cake-eater - волокита, бабник, cuckoo (si) -рогоносец, something in socks - холостяк, part-time papa - муж, изменяющий жене, little black book (si) - записная книжка мужчины с именами и телефонами женщин легкого поведения, all ass (and no body) - толстый мужчина, etc. Women:
lost hope (si) - старая дева, office-wife (si) - секретарша-любовница, left-handed wife (si) - любовница, Big Bertha - сильная, тучная баба, approachable -женщина легкого поведения, part-time mama (si) - жена, изменяющая мужу.
Stupid people:not exactly brilliant, unwise, Aunt Dora.
Unlawful children:
sinfant (sin + infant), a come-by-chance, love child, born on the wrong side of the blanket (si).
Parts of human body:leafless = naked, in birthday clothes
north end of a horse going South (si) - зад, неприятный человек
altar (si) - зад, унитаз, горшок
apples (breasts), balcony, melons, peaches, baby's pub
Women's underwear:U-wears - нижнее белье, silkies - ж. трусы, it's snowing down South - у тебя видно нижнее белье, unmentionables.
Drunken, drunk:
merry, fresh, full, soaked, under the influence, half-seas-over, intoxicated (med.) Liar:
inaccurate, untruthful Lavatory:
restroom, washroom, relief station, bank, altar room, coffee house (si), poet's согпег, W.C., Windsor Castle, parliament; to go to consult Mr. Jones, where the Queen goes on foot; to make a noise, to make a river (water); chocolate (si), agricultural ones, etc.
Discussing sensitive topics, such as gender, racial and ethnic group, age you should avoid using words that might offend or upset people:
- avoid using the word "man" (человек, мужчина)Ьесаи5еwomen think that they are excluded. Use: businesswoman, businessperson.
From the point of view of vocabulary the man types of euphemisms are:
- scientific or learned words and term: indigestion, perspiration
- words with negative prefix "un-": unwise, inaccurate, untidy, etc
- abbreviations and shortenings: m.d., sexetary (sex + secretary), sinfant, U-wear.
In letters: I.T.A.L.Y. = I trust and love you I.L.Y.V.M. = I love you very much S.W.A.K. (swak) = Sealed with a kiss B.O.L.T.O.P. = better on lips than on paper (about a kiss)
- phraseological units:
to make a river = to piss; to pee oneself (si):1) мочиться в штаны, 2) от души смеяться
I must or I'll bust - мне срочно надо в туалет
he is so thin that you can smell shit through him - он очень худой
La originally closely connected with religion euphemism has extended to words
denoting different diseases; criminal activities or anything which is considered
improper in a given society. It has become a social phenomenonof wide semantic
range.