"Any euphemism ceases to be euphemistic after a time and the true meaning begins to show through. We will know that we have achieved mutual respect when the names stay put." (Steven Pinker, The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature. Names for minorities will continue to change as long as people have negative attitudes toward them. The definition of break as used in jazz is: -When one soloist improvises with the. Give a concept a new name, and the name becomes colored by the concept the concept does not become freshened by the name, at least not for long. "The euphemism treadmill shows that concepts, not words, are primary in people's minds. Undertaker changes to mortician, which changes to funeral director. Water closet becomes toilet (originally a term for any kind of body care, as in toilet kit and toilet water), which becomes bathroom, which becomes restroom, which becomes lavatory. People invent new words for emotionally charged referents, but soon the euphemism becomes tainted by association, and a new word must be found, which soon acquires its own connotations, and so on. "Linguists are familiar with the phenomenon, which may be called the euphemism treadmill. Steven Pinker and Joseph Wood Krutch on the Euphemism Treadmill You never invade anybody, you commit an incursion." (Gore Vidal, quoted in the Transatlantic Review, Spring 1975) "Americans continually euphemize they can never call anything by its name."Wardrobe malfunction." (Justin Timberlake's description of his tearing of Janet Jackson's costume during a half-time performance at Super Bowl XXXVIII)."The more syllables a euphemism has, the further divorced from reality it is." (George Carlin."The 'reconstruction' of New Orleans has become a euphemism for the destruction of the city's cultural and historic heritage." (Ghali Hassan, 2006.Joanna Kersey: That's a euphemism for fat. Paul Kersey: You've got a prime figure.Martin Prince: Spare me your euphemisms! It's fat camp, for Daddy's chubby little secret. Prince: We'll see you when you get back from image enhancement camp. But I'm afraid you're both being let go.ĭan Foreman: It means you're being fired, Louie. Dan Foreman: Guys, I feel very terrible about what I'm about to say."Unfortunately for the CIA, 'enhanced interrogation' turned out to be a translation of the same euphemism used by the Gestapo: verschärfte Vernehmung." (Scott Horton, "Company Men." Harper's, April 2015.Examples: Pre-owned for used or second-hand enhanced interrogation for torture industrial action for strike misspoke for lie tactical withdrawal for retreat revenue augmentation for raising taxes wind for belch or fart convenience fee for surcharge courtesy reminder for bill unlawful combatant for prisoner of war.
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