euphemism
The objectives of this bachelor thesis are euphemisms and their usage in today´s English.
Euphemisms are indirect expressions that are used instead of harsher ones to avoid unpleasant moments, embarrassment, or offence. They are used in sensitive social areas where direct speaking is unsuitable, like death, diseases or sex. The concern of indirect speaking can be either on the side of a speaker, on the side of an audience or on the side of a third side.
Euphemisms are use to replace social taboos, swearing, blasphemy, profanity and other offensive language, but they can be used just to make a common word sound more sophisticated. Since euphemisms are indirect expressions, the apprehension of a meaning can be difficult.
Once a euphemism becomes known and starts to be used frequently in association with a sensitive or an unsuitable subject, negative connotations cause pejoration of a euphemism, which means the loss of indirect and therefore polite value of the euphemism.
For indirect expressing, stylistic means like figures of speech can be used for expressing euphemisms. 1 EUPHEMISMS AND THEIR POSITION IN THE LANGUAGE
It is more comfortable for people not to talk about unpleasant or embarrassing topics directly. The effort to be polite makes them replace offensive words by more acceptable ones. The purpose of the use of euphemisms is to avoid unsuitable words in order not to offend hearer.
According to Enright, the word euphemism originates from Greek, where it means to speak in a good way (Enright, 2004). Primarily, euphemism was a milder term used as a substitution for taboo expressions only. Later, the use of euphemisms was enlarged for any vulgar, offensive, harsh, embarrassing, blunt or other indelicate term. The oldest social taboos that made people use euphemisms, occurred in areas exuding fear and respect such as religion or death.
Unlike Enright, Alkire (Alkire, 2002) claims that euphemisms have Latin roots. There are
many
Euphemisms are indirect expressions that are used instead of harsher ones to avoid unpleasant moments, embarrassment, or offence. They are used in sensitive social areas where direct speaking is unsuitable, like death, diseases or sex. The concern of indirect speaking can be either on the side of a speaker, on the side of an audience or on the side of a third side.
Euphemisms are use to replace social taboos, swearing, blasphemy, profanity and other offensive language, but they can be used just to make a common word sound more sophisticated. Since euphemisms are indirect expressions, the apprehension of a meaning can be difficult.
Once a euphemism becomes known and starts to be used frequently in association with a sensitive or an unsuitable subject, negative connotations cause pejoration of a euphemism, which means the loss of indirect and therefore polite value of the euphemism.
For indirect expressing, stylistic means like figures of speech can be used for expressing euphemisms. 1 EUPHEMISMS AND THEIR POSITION IN THE LANGUAGE
It is more comfortable for people not to talk about unpleasant or embarrassing topics directly. The effort to be polite makes them replace offensive words by more acceptable ones. The purpose of the use of euphemisms is to avoid unsuitable words in order not to offend hearer.
According to Enright, the word euphemism originates from Greek, where it means to speak in a good way (Enright, 2004). Primarily, euphemism was a milder term used as a substitution for taboo expressions only. Later, the use of euphemisms was enlarged for any vulgar, offensive, harsh, embarrassing, blunt or other indelicate term. The oldest social taboos that made people use euphemisms, occurred in areas exuding fear and respect such as religion or death.
Unlike Enright, Alkire (Alkire, 2002) claims that euphemisms have Latin roots. There are
many