Euphemisms in job titles

3.2 Euphemisms in job titles

Euphemisms are common in job titles; some jobs have complicated titles that make them sound more impressive than the common names would imply, such as CPA in place of car parking attendant. Many of these euphemisms may include words such as engineer, though in fact the people who do the job are not accredited in engineering. Extreme cases, such as sanitation engineer for janitor, or 'transparent-wall maintenance officer' for window cleaner, are cited humorously more often than they are used seriously. Another example is Henny Youngman's joke that his brother-in-law claimed to be a "diamond cutter" — his job was to mow the lawn at Yankee Stadium. Less extreme cases, such as custodian for janitor or administrative assistant for secretary, are considered more terms of respect than euphemisms. Where the work itself is seen as distasteful, a euphemism may be used, for example "rodent officer" for a rat-catcher, or "cemetery operative" for a gravedigger. In the British comedy series Yes, Minister episode The Skeleton in the Cupboard, the civil service in general and Bernard in particular refers to civil service rat-catchers as "environmental health officers"

3.3 Common examples

Other common euphemisms include:

·  getting smashed or hammered instead of 'drinking' or 'being drunk'

·  big, fluffy, full-figured or heavy-set instead of 'fat'

·  lost their lives for 'were killed'

·  wellness for benefits and treatments that tend to only be used in times of sickness

·  restroom for toilet room in American English (the word toilet was itself originally a euphemism)

·  a love of musical theatre, light in the loafers, good fashion sense or confirmed bachelor for male homosexuality

·  woman in sensible shoes for lesbian

·  acting like rabbits, making love to, getting it on, cheeky time, doing it, making the beast with two backs, or sleeping with for having sex with

·  sanitary landfill for garbage dump (and a temporary garbage dump is a transfer station), also often called a Civic Amenity in the UK

·  ill-advised for very poor or bad

·  an intestinal release of pressure for fart

·  pre-owned vehicles or even "pre-loved" for used cars

·  motivation for bribe

·  a student being held back a grade level for having failed or flunked the grade level

·  correctional facility for prison

·  peer homework help or comparing answers for cheating

·  the north of Ireland for Northern Ireland, which is seen by many Irish people as a term imposed by the British and therefore a profanity; however, saying the north of Ireland may be primarily a way of identifying oneself with the Irish Nationalist cause, rather than a euphemism

·  the big C for cancer (in addition, some people whisper the word when they say it in public, and doctors euphemistically use technical terminology when discussing cancer in front of patients, e.g., "c.a." or "neoplasia"/"neoplastic process", "carcinoma" for "tumor"); euphemisms for cancer are used even more so in the Netherlands, because the Dutch word for cancer can be used as a curse word

·  bathroom tissue, t.p., or bath tissue for toilet paper (usually used by toilet paper manufacturers)

·  custodian or caretaker for janitor (Also originally a euphemism — in Latin, it means doorman. In the British Secret Service, it may still carry the ancient meaning. It does in the novels of John le Carré.)

·  sanitation worker (or, sarcastically, sanitation officer or sanitation engineer), or garbologist, for "bin man" or garbage man

·  economically depressed neighborhood or culturally-deprived environment for ghetto or slum

·  force, police action, peace process or conflict for war

·  alcohol-related, single-car crash for drunk driver

·  mature or been around the block for old or elderly

·  haem or heme (Americanism) for blood, often used in medical settings ("severe heme loss").

·  enhanced interrogation technique for torture

·  persuasion for torture

·  take legal action for sue

·  fee for fine

·  gaming for gambling

·  specific about what one eats for being a picky eater

·  intellectually challenged for being mentally retarded

·  Before that, mentally retarded for feeble minded

·  Before that, feeble minded for halfwit

·  adult entertainment, adult material, or erotica for pornography

·  to have been paid for 'being fired from or by one's employer'

·  to cut excesses (in a budget) for to fire employees

·  legal capital for stated capital

·  gravitationally challenged for clumsy

·  gender reassignment for sex change

·  differently abled for disabled

·  chemical dependency for drug addiction

·  dual-diagnosed for having both mental illness and drug problems

·  co-morbidity for simultaneous existence of related mental and physical health issues (a dysphemism, perhaps...)

·  gentlemen's club for go-go bar or strip club

·  fertility center for infertility center

·  mental health center for mental illness center

·  it's snowin' down south for your slip is showing

·  vertically-challenged for short

·  feeling no pain (and dozens of others) for drunk

·  your fly is undone for your zip is down

These lists might suggest that most euphemisms are well-known expressions. Often euphemisms can be somewhat situational; what might be used as a euphemism in a conversation between two friends might make no sense to a third person. In this case, the euphemism is being used as a type of innuendo. At other times, the euphemism is common in some circles (such as the medical field) but not others, becoming a type of jargon or, in underworld situations especially, argot. One such example is the line "put him in bed with the captain's daughter" from the popular sea shanty Drunken Sailor. Although this line may sound more like a reward for getting drunk to non-seamen, the phrase "captain's daughter" was actually a euphemism used among sailors for the cat o' nine tails (itself a euphemism for a kind of whip).

Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány, in his controversial speech that triggered the 2006 anti-government protests, used a number of vulgar phrases that were translated euphemistically by the media as "screwed up" and "did not bother".

Euphemisms can also be used by governments to rename statutes to use a less offensive expression. For example, in Ontario, Canada, the "Disabled Person Parking Permit" was renamed to the "Accessible Parking Permit" in 2007.^[11]

The word euphemism itself can be used as a euphemism. In the animated short It's Grinch Night (See Dr. Seuss), a child asks to go to the euphemism, where euphemism is being used as a euphemism for outhouse. This euphemistic use of "euphemism" also occurred in the play Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? where a character requests, "Martha, will you show her where we keep the, uh, euphemism?" It is analogous to the 19th-century use of unmentionables for underpants.

Also, lots of euphemisms are used in the improvised television show, Whose Line Is It Anyway?. They are used often in the game 'If You Know What I Mean', where players are given a scene and have to use as many obscure clichés and euphemisms as possible.

CONCLUSION

The word euphemism itself can be used as a euphemism. In the animated short It’s Grinch Night (See Dr. Seuss), a child asks to go to the euphemism, where euphemism is being used as a euphemism for outhouse. This euphemistic use of “euphemism” also occurred in the play Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Where a character requests, “Martha, will you show her where we keep the, uh, euphemism? It is analogous to the 19^th century use of unmentionables for underpants.

Euphemisms are substitutes for their synonyms. Their use and very existence are caused either by social conventions or by certain psychological factors. Most of them have stylistic connotations in their semantic structures. One can also assume that there is a special euphemistic connotation that can be singled out in the semantic structure of each such word. Let me point out, too, that euphemistic connotations in formal euphemisms are different in “flavour” from those in slang euphemistic substitutes. In the first case they are solemn and delicately evasive, and in the second rough and somewhat cynical, reflecting an attempt to laugh off an unpleasant fact.

Euphemisms always tend to be a source of new formations because after a short period of use the new term becomes so closely connected with the notion that it turns a word as obnoxious as earlier synonym.

And as linguistic phenomenon euphemism is needed to be investigated in many aspects: in comparison with other languages, definition of the time and reason of their appearance, determination of usage in literary and scientific books. It helps us to get information of the world people.

There are stable euphemisms, and are depending on situations. If constant is a constant synonym of the certain concept situational depends on the contents which at it is put or a context in which it is used.

It is possible to allocate also types euphemism behind features of construction. Is one-worded – synonyms – «features – crafty», is two-worded and an adjective – «evil spirit».

As a result of distribution and influences of mass media and different psychological levers on language presently constructing type euphemism will intensively penetrate into all spheres colloquial and a literary language. Were especially strongly distributed tendencies in the English language in the USA where advertising and business really without any restriction «break» language on the order. Not surprisingly because some American linguists even suggest to distinguish two languages: «language of the facts» (fact language) and «language of ideas» (іdea language).

For the translator it is very important to know about features of the use euphemism in language correctly to estimate a role of implied sense, it is especial while translating publicist materials or fiction.

LIST OF LITERATURE

1.  Benveniste, Émile, “Euphémismes ancient and moderns”, in Problèmes de linguistique générale, vol. 1, pp. 308-314. [originally published in: Die Sprache, I (1949), pp. 116-122]

2.  Rawson, Hugh, A Dictionary of Euphemism & Other Doublespeak, second edition, 1995.

3.  R.W. Holder: How Not to Say What You Mean: A Dictionary of Euphemism, Oxford University Press, 504 pages, 2003.

4.  Maledicta: The International Journal of Verbal Aggression (ISSN US)

5.  MsGlone, M.S., Beck, G., & Pfiester, R.A. (2006). Contamination and camouflage in euphemisms. Communication Monographs, 73.

6.  Smyth, Herbert Weir (1920). Greek Grammar. Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press, 678 p.

7.  Мусабекова С. Euphemisms as Linguistic Phenomena in the Sphere of Alcohol, Вестник КазНУ, серия филологическая, № 6 (105), 2007, c. 169-171.

8.  Антрушина Г.Б., English Lexicology, seventh edition, 1999, 287 p.

Retrieved from http://en.wikipendia.org/wiki/ Euphemism

 

REFERENCES

1.  ^ Euphemism Webster's Online Dictionary.

2.  ^ Cultural Protocol — Death in a community Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

3.  ^ Dyen, Isidore, A. T. James & J. W. L. Cole. 1967. Language divergence and estimated word retention rate. Language 43/1: 150-171.

4.  ^ Gould, S.J., The Mismeasure of Man, W.W. Norton & Co, New York, 1996, pp. 188-189.

5.  ^ American Heritage Dictionary definition of "retarded" via answers.com.

6.  ^ George Carlin, They're Only Words, Track 14 on Parental Advisory: Explicit Lyrics, Atlantic/Wea audio CD, 1990.

7.  ^ Random House.com.

8.  ^ The Age.com.

9.  ^ McCool, W.C. (1957-02-06), Return of Rongelapese to their Home Island — Note by the Secretary, United States Atomic Energy Commission, http://worf.eh.doe.gov/ihp/chron/A43.PDF, retrieved 2007-11-07 .

10.  ^ Snopes.com, "Buy the Farm".

11.  ^ http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dandv/vehicle/app.shtml

 

SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL OTHER EXAMPLES OF ENGLISH EUPHEMISMS

OTHER WORDS FOR OTHER PLACES

There are plenty of words for places we need but would like to avoid in polite conversation:

Brothel: common bawdy house, house of entertainment, house of ill-repute, massage parlor, red-light establishment, (where littering and loitering are strictly prohibited).

Garbage Dump: Sanitary landfill, municipal refuse yard

Jail: hoosegow, holding unit, secure facility

One Room Living Unit: alternative lifestyle choice, smart-growth choice, studio suite, efficiency unit, granny suite, transit-oriented young lifestyle choice

Bathroom: ablution hut, boghouse comfort station, garderobe, gentleman's quarters, "his" and "hers", House of Honor, ladies room, lavatory, men's room, necessarium, place of convenience, place of ease, porcelain palace, public washroom, powder room, privy, room 100, the john, the jakes, the redorter, throne room, washroom, water closet, W.C.

Elderly Accommodation: senior-oriented residence, continum of care lifestyle community, all-inclusive retirement living community, full-service lifestyle residence, assisted-living facility, independent-living facility, wellness and vitality residence

RESPONDING TO THE CALL OF NATURE:

To powder one's nose, to see a man about a dog, to frost a rock

PRETTY NAMES FOR UNPLEASANT REALITIES OF LIFE

Neil Postman in his book, Crazy Talk Stupid Talk (New York, Delacorte Press, 1976), suggests that a euphemism is an exalted term used in place of a down-to-earth term, or "an attempt to give prettier term to an uglier reality."

And, speaking of "death" and "taxes", American spin doctors have come up with a new term to describe the ravages of war and innovative ways to use tax-payers money to rebuild sandcastles in Iraq as "post-kinetic development".

So, taking our cue from this learned author, there are oodles of pretty names one can use to describe unpleasant realities of life such as "death" and "taxes".

It seems that "taxes" are getting such a bad rap these days that spin-doctors have been working overtime to come up with new variations on one very unpleasant civic duty, to submit to taxation ...otherwise known as "the process of plucking the most amount of feathers from a goose with the least amount of hissing." Whoa, let's celebrate "Tax Free Day"!

It is therefore not surprising that we have an amusing array of terms for taxation: "access fees/charges", "carbon footprint contributions", "civic assessment fees", "direct universal service support", "economic incentives", "economic stimulus packages", "environmental externality factors", "impact fees", "income shifting options", "innovative sources of financing", "late fees", "redistribution of wealth alternatives", "redeployment of revenue", "restructuring of budgets", "revenue enhancements", "service charges", "socially-responsible public investments", "social support subsidies", "transfer payments", "universal service charges", "value-added revenue opportunities", and "user-fees".

As some have suggested, "taxation" (is a legal and mandatory system of professional if not progressive pick-pocketing), better known as a marvellous method of "robbing Peter to pay Paul".

And, when one is complaining about why one's wallet is just a tad lighter these days, just remember what Mark Twain had to say on this matter: "The only difference between a tax man and a taxidermist is that the taxidermist leaves the skin."

A TIME-HONORED TABOO TOPIC

Do you dread using the "d" word? The subject of unpleasant realities of life would not be complete without a glimpse at the time-honored taboo topic of "death". And, if one wishes to avoid using this five-letter word, there are a myriad of other quaint if not quirky expressions from which to choose:

A

arbitrary deprivation of life, ashes to ashes and dust to dust, asleep, assumed room temperature, ate his last supper

B

basting the formaldehyde turkey, be taken, bereft of life, bite the biscuit, bite the big one, bite the dust, bought the farm, bump[ed] off, buried, buy a pine condo, buy it

C

cadaverous, called to a higher place, carked it, cashed in their chips, cashed out, ceased to be, check out, checking out the grass from underneath, cold, conk, croak, crossed over, crossed the bar, crossed the River Styx, cut-down, cut-off

D

danced the last dance, deceased, dead, dead as a doornail, dead meat, defunct, demise, departed, destroyed, diagnostic misadventure of high magnitude, dirt, dirt nap, disappeared without warning, disincentivized, donated the liver pate, done for

E

eat it, enjoy his/her last dance, enter the slumber room, erased, executed, expended, expired, executive actioned, extinction of the person

F

faded quickly, failed to fulfill his/her wellness potential, failed to thrive, fatally wounded, final solution, finished, fragged, fried

G

gathered to his people, get your wings, give up the ghost, going into the fertilizer business, going to the big place in the sky, gone, gone belly-up, gone into the west, gone to a better place, gone to meet their Maker, gone to be with the Lord, gone to sleep, got a one-way ticket

H

heaven-bound

I

in a better place, in Heaven/Hell, in a kinder gentler place, in repose, in his/her box, in the casket, in the clover, in the eternity box, in the grave, in the ground, in the mortuary, interred

J

joined the choir invisible, joined the White Buffalo in the sky

K

kicked the bucket, kicked off, killed

L

late, left us, lie down with one's fathers, lifeless, liquidated, living-impaired, lost

M

member of the Boot Hill brigade, metabolic processes are now history, mortified

N

negative patient care outcome, neutralized, no longer a factor, no longer with us, no more, non-living, nonviable

O

offed, off the twig

P

paid Charon's fare, passed away/on/over, pegged it, perished, permanently indisposed, permanently out of print, pining for the fjords, popped his/her clogs, popped off, promoted to Sub-Terranean Truffle Inspector, pushing up the daisies, put down

R

remains, rest in peace (R.I.P.), returned to the ground, rode off into the sunset, rubbed out, run down the curtain

S

sell the farm, shuffled off the mortal coil, six-feet under, sleeping with the fishes, snuffed, snuff it, snuffed out, sprouted wings, stiff, stone-dead, succombed, suffered an unfortunate turn of events, sustained a therapeutic misadventure

T

taking a dirt nap, taken from us, terminal episode, terminally-inconvenienced, terminated, terminated with extreme prejudice, that good night, took his/her last breath, T.U. - Toes Up, turn their toes up, turn into a ghost

V

VSA - Vital Signs Absent

W

wandering the Elysian fields, went to the big blue baseball field/shopping mall in the sky, whacked, with the ancestors, and last but not least, worm food.

GENTLE WORDS FOR GENTLE MEN?

The eighteenth century is full of fun...from inns of inequity to palaces of pleasure, and the English language from Shakespeare onwards has been a riot of linguistic wit and mirthful mayhem.

Here are a few choice phrases referring to the flamboyance of some fly-by-night fellows.

·  Gentleman Commoner: An empty bottle.

·  Gentleman's Companion: A louse or gnit.

·  Gentleman's Master: A highway robber.

·  Gentleman of Three Ins: A gentleman who is in debt, in jail, and in danger of remaining there for life.

·  Gentleman of Three Outs: A gentleman who is without credit/money, without wit, and without manners.

The English language is full of colorful terms for the expulsion of "vagrant airs and volatile subjects" by members of the animal kingdom.

Those who perpetrate foul winds in enclosed places or at inopportune times such as "Puff the Methane Dinosaur" may be referred to as "frigging freepers" "flaming farteurs", "flutterblasters", "fundusbreakers" or simply those who are known by family and friends as "Flatus Factory.

The "random if not reticent release of a wayward wind", or perhaps several "entertaining emissions" may also be referred to in mixed company at a social gathering as "a cocktail party "calico", "a party paradiddle" or "a sumptuous slider". Scientific snobs also known as "Princes of Plotch & Scotch" prefer to define these "enigmatic emanations" as "self-processed, self-propelled and self-stoked organic fuels in a self-contained power plant".

The real question is whether they're willing to accept the entertaining euphemisms for the "elderly": active-lifestyler, advanced in years, bat, biddy, chronologically-gifted, contemplative character, codger, cougar, crone, curmudgeon, dentured dandy, empty-nester, fogey, Freedom 55er, gaffer, geezer, golden-ager, granny, gramps, grey-hairs, Little Old Lady (LOL), Little Old Man (LOM), longer-living, mature individual, ninny, noteworthy for his/her character lines, octogenarian, old biddy, old coot, old dog, old fox, old soul, oldster, old-timer, over-the-hill, positive ager, prime-timer, retiree, salt-and-pepper generation, self-caring person, senior citizen, senior, seasoned citizen, silver fox, Third-Ager, wise woman, women of a certain age, woman of substance, and young-at-heart.