Euphemism & Dysphemism: Language Used as Shield and WeaponWe all use euphemisms. We ask for directions to the "ladies room" or convey the news that someone has recently "passed away." In fact, euphemisms have existed throughout recorded history: they are used by preliterate peoples, and have probably been around since human language first developed. And the same is true of offensive language, or "dysphemisms"--words used as weapons against others, or as release valves for anger and frustration. In this fascinating study, Keith Allan and Kate Burridge examine the linguistic, social, and psychological aspects of this intriguing universal practice. They cover the many shapes euphemism can take, from circumlocution and acronym to hyperbole and understatement, metaphor, and even technical jargon (many medical terms ultimately derive from euphemisms--stool, for instance, comes from "go to the stool," and diabetes comes from a Greek word meaning "to go a lot," since people with diabetes urinate frequently). They discuss the many euphemisms and dysphemisms for tabooed body parts (there are, the authors point out, at least 1,200 terms for vagina and 1,000 for penis), bodily functions, death, and disease. They describe euphemisms used to avoid religious blasphemy, from the archaic "egad" and "zounds" and "gadzooks" to the modern equivalents, such as "Jiminy Cricket" and "golly" or "gosh." They even discuss the political use of euphemism; for instance, when at war, to shield the public from upsetting details (or shield politicians from the voter), concentration camps become "pacification centers," bombing raids become "surgical strikes," and bombs dropped on our own troops become "friendly fire." (President Reagan, a master of euphemism, insisted that the attack on Grenada was not an "invasion," but rather a "rescue mission.") Along the way, the authors provide illuminating discussions of word origins, the use of bawdy language in Shakespeare, and many other fascinating topics. With thousands of examples drawn from speech, literature, newspapers, television, and film, Allan and Burridge invite us all to ponder and enjoy the creative products of the human mind as it confronts the problem of talking in different contexts about sex, lust, disapproval, anger, disease, death, fear, and God. |
From inside the book
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Page 5
... believe to be facts ; make offers and promises only if s / he intends carrying them out ; pronounce judg- ments only if s / he is in a position to judge , and so on ; thus , we , the authors , would be violating the maxim of quality if ...
... believe to be facts ; make offers and promises only if s / he intends carrying them out ; pronounce judg- ments only if s / he is in a position to judge , and so on ; thus , we , the authors , would be violating the maxim of quality if ...
Page 20
... believe all euphemisms can be analyzed as the preference for one expression over another , we do not believe that one term will always necessarily be ' dispreferred ' while the other is concomitantly a ' eu- phemism ' — in such a way ...
... believe all euphemisms can be analyzed as the preference for one expression over another , we do not believe that one term will always necessarily be ' dispreferred ' while the other is concomitantly a ' eu- phemism ' — in such a way ...
Page 189
... believe that AIDS has been sent as awful retribution for an epoch of excesses and impiety ; hence , we find it being referred to by the acronym WOGS , which stands for Wrath of God Syndrome . The vast and open media coverage that AIDS ...
... believe that AIDS has been sent as awful retribution for an epoch of excesses and impiety ; hence , we find it being referred to by the acronym WOGS , which stands for Wrath of God Syndrome . The vast and open media coverage that AIDS ...
Contents
Introductory Remarks on Language Used | 3 |
Euphemism Dysphemism and CrossVarietal | 11 |
Euphemism in Addressing and Naming | 33 |
Copyright | |
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Common terms and phrases
addressing Ages American animals appear associated Australian avoid become behavior believed blood bodily body called cancer cause century chapter common comparable context course cunt dead death denote derives described dialects discussion disease Dutch dysphemism dysphemistic earlier effect effluvia English epithets euphemism euphemistic example expressions face fact fear female figurative French fuck function give given hand Hearer human instance jargon kind language Latin least less linguistic literal look male matter meaning mental mentioned metaphor Middle motivated nature normally noun once one's organs original particular patients penis perhaps person possible prick probably quoted reader reason reference seems sense sexual shit similar social society someone Speaker speaking style suggests taboo talk things tion typically usually utterance vagina verb vocabulary woman women