In western country, it is very impolite if you talk about someone’s figure and weight without reservation. If someone is “fat”, “overweight” is often used to replace it. “weight-watchers” is also a euphemism for “fat people”. To female, “a fat girl” is called “a fuller figure or plump”; to male, “fat” is called “stout”; to child, it is called “chubby”. On the contrary, if someone is too thin, euphemism is also used. To male, it is called “lean”, and to female, it is called “slim, slender, willowy or svelte”.
3.2.4. The euphemisms for poverty and unemployment
The topic of poverty and unemployment might cause some embarrassment, so people often use euphemism when their talks concern such things. For example, “dismissal” is often called “lay off, ease out, get the walking ticket/pink slip”; “bankruptcy” is called “out of the game”; “penniless” is called “out of pocket, in reduced circumstances, badly off, needy etc.”; “the poor people” is called “the have-nots, the underprivileged, the disadvantaged”; even their houses also have a sweet-sounding name-“substandard housing”. The euphemism for unemployment has many expressions. Most of them are humorous, such as “between jobs”, “between shows”, “to be developing a new project”, “to receive a Mexican raise/ an Irish promotion” (to raise a promotion without raising the salary), “to be self-employed”. In America “unemployed men” are called “claimants”, while, in Britain, they are called “to be on public assistance”. Of course, some euphemisms are pessimistic: The British unemployed men can take 50 percent off the ticket of a film and a drama, so they also can be called “the less fortunate”.
3.2.5. The euphemisms for excretion
All words concerning “excretion” except tears are considered taboo words. The euphemisms for “lavatory” have many ways of expressions, such as water closet, cloakroom, comfort station, toilet (which is popular in Britain), restroom (which is generally used in America). In America, “convenience station” is written English, while “bathroom” is oral English. “John” is slang, while “poet’s corner” is a crack joke. In Britain, they use “Jakes” instead of “John”. They use “public comfort station” instead of “public convenience station”. Men’s lavatory is called “Gent’s, the John, the washroom”; Women’s lavatory is called “Ladies’, the powder room, powder one’s nose (Br.); powder one’s puff (Am.); Mrs. Jones”. There are also many ways to express “urination” and “defecation”, such as, to go to the bathroom/ restroom/ powder room, to do one’s business, to answer nature’s call. .
There are other expressions. For instance, I have to retire for a moment. / I would like to be excused. Interrogative sentences can also be used: Where is the restroom? Where can I wash my hands? Ladies can say, “I’d like to add some makeup.” in order to avoid the awkwardness.
3.3. Disguise
Opposite to the positive influences of euphemism, there are some different sayings about it. Some people condemn euphemisms as demoralizing because of its hypocrisy while others like Hilaire Belloc consider them a ‘psychological necessity”[18]. One of the most important reasons is that euphemism is used to conceal some scandalous behaviors and crimes. Therefore, euphemism can also bring about the negative influences, which are embodied in the following two aspects according to its concealing function:
3.3.1. The euphemisms for the requirements of politics and war.
Because of the requirements of politics and war, the British and American politicians used some euphemisms to conceal the internal truth, and cheat the public. For example, the “Water Gate” is called “scenario” [19]. Some American writers criticized that these euphemisms created from the “Water Gate” were demoralizing and hypocritical. “Time” even said directly, “These euphemisms all tell it like it isn’t.” [20] The person who steals the information is called “plumber”; The person who is against government is often called “dissidents”; American and British people name “riot” as “disturbance” or “disorder”; “strike” is called “walk-out, down tools, industrial action or industrial dispute”; “economic crises” is called “recession” or “depression”. In the aspect of military affair, “the number of the dead” is called “body count”; “aggression” is called “pre-emptive action” or “involvement”; “rout” is called “phased withdrawal”、“strategic withdrawal”、“light and scattered action” or “break off contact with enemy”. The euphemisms for “to kill” are often called “to take care of, to dispose of, to remove, to rub out, to puff out, to put away, to touch off etc.” “U.S. overseas military employment” is called “American presence”; “civilian casualties” is called “collateral damage”; “bombing and blasting” is called “softening up the resistance”. People seldom mention “nuclear weapons”, but “an anti-personnel weapon”. “Non-nuclear weapon” is called “a conventional weapon”. American media called their invasion to Haiti by their marines “an incident”, called the investigation of American airplanes in Russian territorial air space “an over flight”. We can see the concealing function of euphemisms becomes the needs of the struggle, the tool of cheating people.
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