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Essay On Euphemism

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Euphemism is used to make taboo and harsh issues milder and more acceptable. The use of euphemism for this purpose is not new. Fromkin, Rodman, Hyams (2003:479) explain that this use dates back to the ancient Athenians who used to call filthy things with auspicious and milder terms so that they called prison a 'chamber' and harlots 'companions'. In other words, taboo words stimulate the formation and use of euphemisms. However, there are certain differences and features euphemism and taboo words have. As far as euphemisms and the process of euphemizing are concerned, according to Thompson (1999), they have the following features: 1. A euphemism is a replacement for an expression which has acquired negative connotations. 2. A euphemism is a synonym for a word or phrase of lower status. 3. Euphemistic expressions are shields used to protect oneself or one's audience from embarrassment, shock, or …show more content…

Euphemisms are used in a polite company to avoid typical speech of lower levels of society. 6. Additionally, they are sustainable as long as they retain good connotations. 7. Finally, they reflect the level of education of their users. The more euphemistic expressions are used by a speaker, the more educated s/he is. Taboo words, on the other hand, have these characteristic features: 1. Taboo expressions have bad connotations. 2. Taboos, as Allan and Burridge (2006:7) mention, are ' dangerous to the individual and to his/her society; they can lead to death or illness.' They are subject to social and constitutionalized imposition of censorship. 3. They are an outcome of constraints on the individual's behaviour and are used in religious, social, or psychological context. 4. They are the sources of embarrassment, shock, and discomfort. 5. They are expressed in forms of swearwords and curses. Using taboo words is to dispel and vent emotional tensions and psychological discomfort. 6. Unlike euphemism, taboo words lower the status of the expression they refer

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