Euphemism & Dysphemism: Language Used as Shield and WeaponOxford University Press, 1991 - 263 sivua We all use euphemisms. We ask for directions to the "ladies room" or convey the news that someone has recently "passed away." In fact, euphemisms have existed throughout recorded history: they are used by preliterate peoples, and have probably been around since human language first developed. And the same is true of offensive language, or "dysphemisms"--words used as weapons against others, or as release valves for anger and frustration. In this fascinating study, Keith Allan and Kate Burridge examine the linguistic, social, and psychological aspects of this intriguing universal practice. They cover the many shapes euphemism can take, from circumlocution and acronym to hyperbole and understatement, metaphor, and even technical jargon (many medical terms ultimately derive from euphemisms--stool, for instance, comes from "go to the stool," and diabetes comes from a Greek word meaning "to go a lot," since people with diabetes urinate frequently). They discuss the many euphemisms and dysphemisms for tabooed body parts (there are, the authors point out, at least 1,200 terms for vagina and 1,000 for penis), bodily functions, death, and disease. They describe euphemisms used to avoid religious blasphemy, from the archaic "egad" and "zounds" and "gadzooks" to the modern equivalents, such as "Jiminy Cricket" and "golly" or "gosh." They even discuss the political use of euphemism; for instance, when at war, to shield the public from upsetting details (or shield politicians from the voter), concentration camps become "pacification centers," bombing raids become "surgical strikes," and bombs dropped on our own troops become "friendly fire." (President Reagan, a master of euphemism, insisted that the attack on Grenada was not an "invasion," but rather a "rescue mission.") Along the way, the authors provide illuminating discussions of word origins, the use of bawdy language in Shakespeare, and many other fascinating topics. With thousands of examples drawn from speech, literature, newspapers, television, and film, Allan and Burridge invite us all to ponder and enjoy the creative products of the human mind as it confronts the problem of talking in different contexts about sex, lust, disapproval, anger, disease, death, fear, and God. |
Kirjan sisältä
Tulokset 1 - 3 kokonaismäärästä 53
Sivu 58
... nature “ increasing or strengthening the natures . " The word nature both in Middle Dutch and English generally denotes the quality or essence of something ; but its scope was once much wider and encompassed both the abstract and ...
... nature “ increasing or strengthening the natures . " The word nature both in Middle Dutch and English generally denotes the quality or essence of something ; but its scope was once much wider and encompassed both the abstract and ...
Sivu 59
... nature [ sexual organ ] is burdened and afflicted , both in men and women , by bad humors , then the nature tries to cleanse itself . " ( Boec van Medicinen in Dietsche ) The term nicely avoids direct reference to the organs themselves ...
... nature [ sexual organ ] is burdened and afflicted , both in men and women , by bad humors , then the nature tries to cleanse itself . " ( Boec van Medicinen in Dietsche ) The term nicely avoids direct reference to the organs themselves ...
Sivu 171
... nature and therefore impress upon us the vulnerability which our bodies place us in . The simple fact is that we are contained within a fragile and temporal frame , and as much as we may resist , we can do nothing about this fact ...
... nature and therefore impress upon us the vulnerability which our bodies place us in . The simple fact is that we are contained within a fragile and temporal frame , and as much as we may resist , we can do nothing about this fact ...
Sisältö
Introductory Remarks on Language Used | 3 |
Euphemism Dysphemism and CrossVarietal | 11 |
Euphemism in Addressing and Naming | 33 |
Tekijänoikeudet | |
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Yleiset termit ja lausekkeet
addressing animals associated Australian Austronesian languages avoid behavior bodily effluvia body body-parts called cancer century cock common connotations context copulation cunt death denote derives described dialects dick discussion disease dispreferred dysphemistic dysphemistic euphemisms English epithets euphe euphemism and dysphemism euphemistic dysphemism example expletives expressions face Falstaff fanny fear feces female French fuck general-for-specific genitalia Grose Hearer Hearer-or-Named human illocution instance insult jargon Kwaio language Latin legalese leprosy lexeme linguistic literal locution Macquarie Dictionary male meaning medieval menstrual blood menstruation mental metaphor Middle Dutch mism morpheme motivated nonliteral normally Not-R noun offensive one's patients penis perhaps person phonestheme piss prick pussy quoted reference remodelling RRR RR s/he semantic sense sex organs sexual sexual intercourse shit slang social society someone Speaker style synonyms taboo terms things tion Tok Pisin twat typically urine utterance vagina Vagisil verb vocabulary woman women word X-phemisms