Phrases, Clauses, and Sentences
Idioms, Clichés, Jargon, and Euphemisms
A euphemism is a mild or roundabout word or phrase used in place of one considered painful or offensive—for example, golden years for old age or economically disadvantaged for poor. Other kinds of euphemisms, rather than covering up, inflate or magnify, making something sound more important or grander than it is: technical representative for salesperson, for example, or handcrafted for handmade.
People use euphemisms to protect themselves and others from the hard facts of life—for example, senior citizen for old person, discomfort for pain, pass away for die. People also use euphemisms like sleeping together, having a relationship, or going to the bathroom to be polite. In social settings, euphemisms like these can be justified as preserving the amenities.
But people use euphemisms for dangerous reasons too—to cover up or prettify motives and events. For example, the phrase a strategic movement to the rear sounds less humiliating than retreat. A preemptive strike is much more acceptable than a sneak attack. Politicians misspeak themselves rather than make gross errors of fact, or they describe previous statements as currently inoperative rather than admit that they lied. Corporate executives restructure or downsize rather than lay off or fire employees. The euphemism human resource department for what used to be a personnel department attempts to humanize the people who have to deal firsthand with firing employees. Perhaps it is also intended to persuade employees that the business sees them as people, not just personnel. Public relations professionals (a euphemistic job title for those who project a sympathetic image for institutions and individuals willing to pay them) come up with creative ways to make something sound better (or less bad) than it is.
Euphemisms and doubletalk are closely related. A phrase in doubletalk, like a euphemism, is a roundabout way of saying something. It can be hard to figure out what a statement in doubletalk means, which is what its originators had in mind. Often more sinister than a euphemism, doubletalk is almost always intended to confuse or deceive.
Avoiding euphemisms
Socially, you may need to use some euphemisms if you don't want to be ostracized or thought insensitive. In your writing, however, strive to be direct. Beware the temptation to be overly polite, to cover up hard facts, or to inflate something by using a euphemistic term. Question euphemisms and doubletalk statements created by others; don't perpetuate them in your own writing. You should communicate to your readers not only as clearly but also as truthfully as you can.
Selected list of euphemisms
Euphemisms are everywhere, and more are born each day. This brief list should make you think about the various reasons they exist.
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au natural: naked
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categorical inaccuracy: lie
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character line: wrinkle
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clarify: sometimes used euphemistically to mean one is retracting a previous statement
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collateral damage: in a bombing, civilian casualties and destruction of civilian buildings
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comfort station: public toilet
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correctional facility: prison
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(the) departed: the dead person; died
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direct mail: unsolicited mail; junk mail
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disincentive: penalty; reprisal
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disinformation: lie
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electronic surveillance: wiretapping and bugging
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ethnic cleansing: eliminating people from racial or national backgrounds different from your own; eliminating is itself a euphemism for deporting, or killing
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expecting: pregnant
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fabricate: make up
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freedom fighters: rebels fighting a government seen as hostile to one's own interests
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friendly fire: artillery fire from one's own forces that accidentally or mistakenly wounds or kills someone on one's own side
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funeral director: an undertaker
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furlough (employees): lay off
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happy hour: time set aside for drinking, usually in late afternoon
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honorariu: payment
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imbibe: drink
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indisposed: ill (being)
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intimate: having sexual intercourse
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inventory leakage: theft
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job action: a strike or work slow-down
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landfill: garbage or garbage dump
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message: commercial: a message from our sponsor
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mobile home: trailer
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negative patient care outcome: the patient died
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neutralize: to take out of action, to kill
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out-placement: help from the company that fired you to find a new job
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out-source: for cost-saving purposes, to farm out work to outside workers to whom no benefits need be paid rather than hire fulltime workers with benefits
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pacify: to repress or destroy an enemy
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personal flotation device: life preserver on an airplane
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personal representative: salesperson
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position: job
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preowned: used, for example, used car
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relocation center: an American-style prison camp used to hold Japanese-Americans during World War II
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remains: dead body
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revenue enhancements: taxes
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reverse engineering: taking something apart to see how it works and then copying it
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stress-producing stimulus: electric shock
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surreptitious entry: break-in
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therapeutic misadventure: surgeon's error
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visually challenged: blind, challenged has become part of a host of euphemisms both serious and humorous (for example, chronologically challenged for old)
