Masaryk University BrnoFaculty of Education Department of English Language and Literature Euphemisms Brno 2012 Author: Supervisor: Mgr. Kristýna Šebková Mgr. Radek Vogel, PhD. 1 Acknowledgements I would like to thank my supervisor Mgr. Radek Vogel, Ph.D. for revising my thesis and his helpful and friendly attitude. 2 Declaration I hereby declare that this paper is completely my own work and that I used only the sources listed in the bibliography. .............................................................. 25 July 2012 3 Annotation This paper aims to outline the bright and the dark side of euphemizing. In the increasingly complicated, globalised society, there is a rising tendency to avoid speaking directly about sensitive topics. In this atmosphere, a disturbing question arises: is the widespread overuse of euphemisms undermining our ability to recognize euphemisms used as a tool of manipulation by politicians and the media? The main focus of this thesis is exploring the use of euphemisms in public discourse and discussing the way they alter our perception of inconvenient truths. Key words Euphemisms, political correctness, doublespeak. 4 35 6.2 Doublespeak…………………………………………………….1 A euphemizing instinct……………………………………… 9 3.3 Motives for euphemizing………………………………… 12 4.. Introduction…………………………………………………………… 6 2. Formation of euphemisms……………………………………… 8 3. Doublespeak: The dark side of euphemisms…………. Why we need to euphemize……………………………. Most commonly euphemized topics……………………… 15 4. 30 5. 39 5 . 18 5. 37 Works cited……………………………………………………………….1 Political correctness………………………………………. 15 4.3 Fighting back…………………………………………………….CONTENTS 1. 10 3. 9 3. 27 5.3 Sex………………………………………………………………….……..2 The euphemism treadmill……………………………….2 Death and illness…………………………………………….1 Religious terms ………………………………………………. Conclusion……………………………………………………………. 27 5. 15 4.. the reasons why people euphemize keep changing. Taking this into consideration. Basically. Bearing in mind the well-known metaphor that language is the vehicle of thought. make the unpleasant appear pleasant. one can learn a lot about a society. However.g.+ phēmē speech. this paper will show that using euphemistic expressions is much more complicated than that.” (Webster 428) Therefore. its knowledge. while pretending not to. Saying what we mean takes a high order of intelligence.” The superstitious need not to utter certain words that described e. a term that William Lutz uses to describe “language designed to evade responsibility. INTRODUCTION Euphemism is usually defined as “the substitution of an agreeable or inoffensive expression for one that may offend or suggest something unpleasant. while not naming them directly. It is language designed to mislead. comments or blogs suggest. evil spirits or things considered sacred is still echoed today in idioms or proverbs.e. it is language that pretends to communicate. That is why people have always felt the urge to find a way to speak about phenomena they feared. but really does not. disliked. Keyes (30-31) claims that “euphemisms are a key indicator of increasing complexity of speech. i. culture and values by studying euphemisms. “Words originally were not considered distinct from what they named. and the words used to allude to such topics indirectly.1. such as “touch/knock on wood“ or “speak of the devil…”. However. it may be natural to assume that euphemizing serves good purposes and the speakers use euphemisms with honest intentions. from euphēmos auspicious. As Keyes (30) observes.” (Lutz “Doublespeak”) What is more. from phanai to speak. the unattractive appear attractive. together with the topics avoided. it is very difficult to avoid speaking about unpleasant issues completely. worshipped or considered taboo. As various articles. it could be concluded that attempts to use euphemisms are as old as our ability to use language. people are increasingly sensitive to avoiding naming things directly. It takes an even higher order to not say what we mean. This trend may have resulted from so-called doublespeak. while still conveying our thought. The origin of this word is Greek euphēmismos. sounding good. from eu.” 6 . when their aim is not to hurt or offend someone. euphemisms as a creative source of amusement on one hand. i. ways to create them. in contrast to using obscure terms in order to blur inconvenient truths and society’s reaction to this form of manipulation. 7 .e. and focus on the so-called bright and dark sides of euphemisms.In the present paper I will examine the motives behind using euphemisms. I will outline the most commonly euphemized topics. e. 8 .g. Keyes): this category is very wide and may include circumlocution. FORMATION OF EUPHEMISMS There have been many attempts to divide the ways of forming euphemisms into several categories. “BS” or “bull” < bullshit. distortion of pronunciation (e. It is not the aim of this paper to suggest its own categorization. “fudge” < fuck. “cripes” or “crust” < Christ) The ways to euphemize are even more varied than the categories above suggest. “vamp” < vampire (a seductive woman). “solid human waste” < feces. e. medical terms. “the situation” < pregnancy. e.g. Allan and Burridge.g.e. Latin terminology for body parts used by educators. e.2. i. Latin and French terms are preferred. The processes by means of which euphemisms are created include: a. “halitosis” (bad breath)< Latin halitus for breath. “the cavalry’s come” < menstruation c. how expressions are euphemized only arises from a more essential issue.g. “blossom” < pimple. which is discussed in the following chapter: the need to actually do so. increasing the level of abstraction. “lingerie” < women’s underwear b. “little girl’s room” < toilet. “ED” < erectile dysfunction) .g. “growth” < cancer.g.g. I consider it useful to mention a few examples of different ways to euphemize. reduplication (e. using longer expressions. Nevertheless. “au naturel” < French for naked. e. Nevertheless. “terminological inaccuracy” < lie. phonetic distortion (Allan and Burridge. borrowing words from other languages (Williams. “jeepers creeper” < Jesus Crist). Rawson. metaphorical transfer. e. “pee-pee” < piss. i. widening. “shoot” or “shite” < shit. Allan and Burridge): in English. “do it” < have sex. “postconsumer secondary material” < garbage. “ladies” < ladies’ room. Keyes): this category includes clippings and abbreviation (e. semantic changes (Williams. “foundation” < girdle.g. or of some third party. For instance. the answer may no longer be so simple. Cumming cites Allan and Burridge who claim: "A euphemism is used as an alternative to a dispreferred expression. or “use the restroom”. it may have been a few minutes ago. that one is tempted to claim that every human has been preprogrammed to find ways to talk about tabooed subjects. However. By contrast. through giving offence. who said: "Euphemism is such a pervasive human phenomenon. when talking to a colleague and excusing themselves saying “I need to wash my hands”.1 A euphemizing instinct If anyone starts thinking about when they last used a euphemistic expression rather than a word that might cause offence or make someone feel uncomfortable." (Walker) Ralph Keyes calls this a “euphemizing instinct” and uses medical research conducted by Valerie Curtis as evidence. Although the rules by which our society functions seem to be the obvious explanation. in order to avoid possible loss of face: either one's own face or. where complex thoughts are created. since the brain and our ability to speak have been evolving concurrently. (Keyes 247) 9 . spontaneously uttered words emerge from the limbic brain. or “powder my nose”. Keyes agrees with Curtis’s theory which suggests that creating euphemisms may have contributed to developing our ability to think. namely the expressions that are considered polite and suitable. they will probably not find it difficult to remember. if the motive for using such expressions is analyzed. WHY WE NEED TO EUPHEMIZE This seemingly simple question has been asked and answered hundreds of times. Curtis claims that our need for euphemisms originates in the newer parts of our brain. of course. the answer might have been given by the University of Chicago linguist Joseph Williams.3. that of the audience. so deeply woven into virtually every known culture." (Cumming) 3. unless. “everybody says that” is considered a sufficient reason for this behavior. the question remains: how does the society create these rules? Who decides what is appropriate and what is not? If this question is narrowed to language. eventually becoming a taboo. are in charge: give a concept a new name. it also becomes automatic. The term “euphemism treadmill” was introduced and explained in detail by Steven Pinker in his article “The Game of the Name”. “It is the fate of euphemisms to lose their function rapidly by association with the actuality of what they designate.3. it is just the words used to refer to it that keep changing. the role euphemisms play in destigmatizing some sensitive topics is disputable. and the name becomes colored by the concept. the concept does not become freshened by the name.2 The euphemism treadmill As mentioned above. sometimes the topic that is considered taboo persists for centuries.” (Pinker) The whole process is indeed fascinating.’ The euphemism treadmill shows that concepts. known by linguists as pejoration or semantic change.’ which becomes ‘lavatory.’ which becomes ‘restroom. the phenomenon is familiar: the euphemism treadmill. the replacement for a taboo term is a euphemism…Euphemisms. as in ‘toilet kit’). 10 . however. so that they must be regularly replaced with euphemisms for themselves”. euphemisms help everyone to talk about subjects that the society considers taboo. not words. it could be argued that “some words undergo pejoration because of a taboo against talking about the things they name. but the euphemism becomes tainted by association and the new one that must be found acquires its own negative connotations. are often subject to pejoration. People invent new ‘polite’ words to refer to emotionally laden or distasteful things. Then the whole cycle starts again. ‘Water closet’ becomes ‘toilet’ (originally a term for any body care.”(Shklovsky 4-5) When this principle is applied to euphemizing. has also been given another term: the euphemism treadmill. which becomes ‘bathroom. where he says: “To a linguist. What can help to understand the ever-changing essence of euphemisms is the process of automatization: “If we examine the general laws of perception. in their turn. Other topics are only perceived as taboo for a limited period.” (Algeo and Pyles 214) The process. we see that as it becomes habitual. As the feminist author Germaine Greer (298) notes. It is true. Nevertheless. Who is right? Does a new name influence the concept or not? Would a negative answer to this question mean people have been euphemizing taboo topics in vain? This almost tempts us to conduct an experiment: spend a day avoiding euphemisms completely. rather than educating them separately. there has been a trend to include “children with special needs” in mainstream education. the individuals may find this hypocritical. the society creates a better image of itself. By making the word “crippled” politically incorrect or even taboo. He believes that people who refuse euphemisms are not more “honest” than those who use them. although many people believe that they do. the way people regard those things changes as well. Postman uses the example of advertizing to show the effect of such associations. or a sandwich named “Vomit Deli”. and its values. of course.” Further in his essay. This brings Postman to the conclusion that if the names of things are changed. it is difficult to prove that such approach has really contributed to changing the image of “the handicapped citizens” for the better.Neil Postman would certainly disagree with Steven Pinker. that a name is usually so firmly associated with the thing it denotes that it is extremely difficult to separate one from the other. and then there are the names of things. and. Recently. we must keep in mind that things do not have ‘real’ names. as may be assumed from his essay on euphemisms which appears in his book Crazy talk. its priorities. It would be hard to sell a child safety seat called “Killing Joke”. What is more. as Postman says. Stupid Talk: “To begin with. feeling no real difference between “the blind” and “the visually challenged”.” (Postman) For instance. 11 . Postman develops the idea that “euphemisms are a means through which a culture may alter its imagery and by doing so subtly change its style. He claims that products which would be given names evoking negative feelings or imaginations would not sell well. It is probably true that not many customers would buy a perfume with a name like “Sewage” or “Chimney Fume”. There are things. that is as good as changing the nature of the thing itself. euphemisms used to talk about people who suffer from various handicaps may have led to the increasing level of acceptance of “the handicapped” by society. A garbage man is not really a ‘garbage man’ any more than he is really a ‘sanitation engineer’. and it is considered a fundamental error in all branches of semantics to assume that a name and a thing are one and the same. however. careful choice of words when not wanting to hurt or offend someone (e. which is closely related to the topic independent of time. “pass away” instead of “die” when talking about a beloved relative). all “those subjected to censorship have historically relied on euphemisms to get their message across in the face of strict limits on the words they are allowed to use. scriptwriters.3 Motives for euphemizing Bearing in mind the ever-changing essence of euphemisms. it is vital to mention language in its written form.g. 3. calling the “blind” people “visually challenged”). The negative side of euphemisms will be discussed further in this paper. On the other hand. followed by more recent political correctness (e. i. which is even more sensitive to offensive terms – what may be considered acceptable in a conversation changes dramatically when used in black and white. other times for the worse.e. A general distinction could be made between an “instinctive euphemism” and a “strategic euphemism”. which could be perceived as a transition between the two groups. “making the beast with two backs”). it could be argued that altering the names of things sometimes changes how people regard those things for the better. it is logical that the motives for euphemizing are varied and vacillating as well. replacing “oh my god” with “oh my gosh” or “hell” with “heck”). (Walker) The “instinctive” group may include avoiding religious terminology and swearwords (e. avoiding embarrassment when mentioning body parts and functions (like when someone announces “going to the little boys room” rather than “taking a piss”). place or culture – sex (the creativity with which people refer to coital activity is stunning).It will probably suffice to make such an experiment in our imagination. the consequences of being blunt with everyone could be disastrous. 12 . playful ways to exclude others from understanding what is being discussed. avoiding embarrassment.g. to white lies and manipulation. “groping for trouts in a peculiar river”. They range from fear and superstition. Pauline Kiernan analyzes hundreds of euphemistic allusions to sex in Shakespeare’s plays (e.g. Journalists. being polite and kind. The widely criticized political doublespeak would then belong to the “strategic” group. Finally.” (Keyes 236) For instance. dramatists.g. If euphemisms are believed to show high level of intelligence and increasing complexity of language. To thy sweet will making addition thus.A question arises as to whether these euphemisms used to prevent a work of art from being censored. the device of art makes perception long and ‘laborious’… The removal of (this) object from the sphere of automatized perception is accomplished in art by a variety of means. being rich in Will. And Will to boot. to make thy large will more. Sonnet CXXXV (by William Shakespeare) Whoever hath her wish. So thou.” (Shklovsky 6) He gives examples of allegory. “sexual appetite” another). and Will in over-plus. numerous similarities in the ways they are created become apparent. where else but in literature should evidence be found? Shklovsky explains how “By ‘enstranging’ objects and complicating form. ‘the catching of the nightingale’. And in my will no fair acceptance shine? The sea. or if they should rather be perceived as means of artistic device. all water. Wilt thou. Shakespeare used the word “will” in several of his sonnets. in fact. in many different meanings (“penis” being one of them.” (Shklovsky 12) If these ancient euphemisms are compared to some recent ones. add to thy Will One will of mine. erotic riddles (“a euphemism of sorts”) in Russian folk tales. people keep using or altering some of the euphemisms Shakespeare used in his work. For example. but also in Boccaccio’s Decameron: “The enstrangement of the sexual act in literature is quite frequent. More than enough am I that vexed thee still. various internet forums show that. in the Decameron. Not once vouchsafe to hide my will in thine? Shall will in others seem right gracious. And in abundance addeth to his store. 13 . ‘the merry woolbeating work’… Just as frequent is the enstrangement of sexual organs. thou hast thy Will. yet receives rain still. although sometimes unaware of their origin. “willy” is still slang for a penis. whose will is large and spacious. For example. Boccaccio refers to ‘the scraping of the barrel’. “creating euphemisms demands far more of a writer than resorting to taboo words does. it is not so much their lack of taste that offends as their lack of imagination. Think all but one.” 14 . no fair beseechers kill.Let no unkind. It is beyond doubt that the potential to enrich the language and spur its users’ imagination belongs to the positive features of euphemizing. When comedians rely on profanity for laughs. As Keyes (237) claims. and me in that one Will. the licker.” (Algeo and 15 . once perceived as blasphemy.” Naturally. or the grandfather. However.1 Religious terms Euphemisms connected to people’s beliefs probably belong to the oldest. Death has always been shrouded in mystery. Therefore. As I have already mentioned. MOST COMMONLY EUPHEMIZED TOPICS The most common topics that the society prefers to avoid speaking directly about have been outlined in the previous chapter. Using the religious terms such as “Jesus Christ”. culture and society. is no longer taboo either. 4. these could include the next type of taboo issues . they feared mentioning evil spirits. independent of time. it is still not fully understood. They are so scary that early northern Europeans referred to them by substitute names for fear that uttering their real name might beckon these ferocious beasts. Instead.death and illness. I will examine some of them more closely. 4. first recorded a thousand years ago.4. those for diseases are doubtless rooted in anxiety and superstition. perhaps simply because people have little chance to encounter them except for in zoos. they talked of the honey eater. and that is just one of the reasons why people feel uneasy when talking about it. religion. as it may attract them and bring bad luck. as well as euphemizing topics that are feared. Nobody feels happy and comfortable around dead bodies. very few people would now consider “hell” or “damn” very strong swearwords. even among many church-goers. people used to believe that words possessed immense power. “Like terms for birth.2 Death and illness Death is a “fear-based taboo” (Keith and Burridge 153). death and excretion. society’s fear of bears has decreased. Similarly. Keyes (29) describes how this type of euphemisms evolved: “Bears are scary animals. the superstitious fear of mentioning one’s good fortune in order not to turn it into bad luck persists.’ It is the oldest known euphemism. and therefore there is no longer the need to invent other names for bears. as the threat for our soul to suffer after death is no longer believed literally. The word ‘bear’ itself evolved from a euphemistic term that meant ‘the brown one. and that studying medicine may even be a way to deal with this fear. however. if you want to describe the thing you have been visualizing you probably hunt about until you find the exact words that seem to fit it. ‘Well.Pyles 216) When people did not understand the origins of e. i. Death is also connected with pain over the loss of a loved one. death is becoming more abstract in people’s mind and this corresponds to the choice of words when speaking about it. the assumption that physicians only use euphemisms for the patients’ (or their families’) benefit seems to be wrong.” 16 . and trying not to make this pain worse requires a careful choice of words. In fact. it has become medical professionals’ common duty to inform the relatives of the deceased. you are more inclined to use words from the start…at the expense of blurring or even changing your meaning. we didn’t really lose your husband…we know where he is. mostly in health care facilities. However. It’s just that he’s not breathing anymore. When it comes to the choice of words to announce a patient’s death. the anxiety associated with death-related topics persists. nowadays most people die without their closest relatives being direct witnesses to their death. When you think of something abstract. plague or someone’s unexpected death. as it has already been mentioned. simply say a patient went (“she went peacefully”) or that they have lost a patient. such superstitious approach may have been overcome. Nowadays. and then. doctors’ aim is to prevent both themselves as well as patients from trauma.’ ” (Keyes 137) On the other hand. The latter led one immigrant doctor to observe how odd this seemed to him when he arrived in the United States: “I wanted to say. As death often occurs away from home these days.e. doctors. few people participate in real battles (there are professional armies). As Orwell (8) suggests in his classical essay. At the same time. various computer games’ aim is to kill as many “enemies” as possible. “when you think of a concrete object. Keyes (138) refers to the results of various studies suggesting that doctors are more afraid of dying than the average person. like the rest of us. you think wordlessly. they used to resort to explaining such events as God’s punishment. As a result. media show death so often that it may lead to increasing insensitivity to the tragic news. Moreover. “most often.g. they range from kind and sensitive to funny and sarcastic. The Internet is full of lists of euphemisms for death and dying. here is a sample of alphabetically ordered expressions: Tab. others may not have the potential to become a catchphrase. sometimes they rather seem to be dysphemisms or would be perceived so in certain situations. 1.Perhaps the perception of death as something abstract is another reason why people resort to using “ready-made” euphemistic expressions. And the variety of euphemisms for death they can choose from is enormous. Nevertheless. some of the listed euphemisms are well-known and widely used. Euphemisms for death and dying a race well run feeling no pain meet his/her maker at room temperature final curtain call no longer with us asleep finished out of his/her misery become a root inspector get a one-way ticket pass away bite the dust go into the fertilizer business pushing up the daisies buy a pine condo go west permanently out of print call home in a better place resting in peace check out in a horizontal phone booth six feet under cross the bar join the majority terminated definitely done dancing kick the bucket wearing a toe tag departed kick the oxygen habit with the angels dirt nap living-impaired yield up the ghost Selected from “Euphemisms For Death” Apparently. the list above certainly proves how deeply enrooted taboo death is. 17 . What is more. 4. illness and the process of ageing) is perceived as equally unpleasant. Regrettably. “seasoned”. such as democraticunderground. In the end. People seem to find a great pleasure in making and understanding allusions to various physically intimate activities. As a result. “well-traveled”. “experienced”.Ironically. being proud of one’s mental capacity. according to American oncology experts. Terms like "cluster of cells".) This is a good example of the process which has been called automatization. phrases sometimes used by doctors to soften a difficult diagnosis. "troubling lab results" or "curious shadow on your x-ray" are sometimes used rather than saying the word CANCER. i. (Dunn et el. cancer euphemisms have lost their ability to soothe and now disturb people as much as the word cancer itself. even though. seem to possess the power to eliminate the fear of illness and death. “mature”. the awareness of being mortal does not seem to support the willingness to speak about it directly.3 Sex Compared to death or illness.e.e. or “golden”. no words. "mass". 18 .com. no similar playfulness is considered appropriate in so called doctorspeak. It is possible that the adult ‘game’ of euphemizing sex topics is not dissimilar to children’s passion for solving riddles or speaking in secret codes. one common feature can be identified. The most commonly used euphemisms for old people (“senior citizens” and “the elderly”) are becoming slightly boring. so that unwelcome participants could be easily excluded from the conversation. being blunt about the processes that eventually lead to death (i. euphemistic expressions referring to sex are often remarkably creative and amusing. Such language also gives its speaker a feeling of superiority. motives behind euphemisms connected to sex are quite different from fear. yet language users’ creativity knows no borders. abstract or not. and learn that good euphemisms for being old may be e. "abnormal growth". Nevertheless. sex is also a topic widely euphemized in every culture and era.g. Those who are not creative enough can ask advice on websites. being able to unveil what is hidden behind a riddle brings satisfaction. obtain children by her (Genesis 16:2). using an example of how different languages refer to offering sex for money: “A prostitute accosting a client on the streets of Cairo will ask Fi hadd bitaghsal hudoumak ? (Literally. Go in unto my maid . and she conceived (Isaiah 8:3). A man . till quite recently it has been the only way to create new life). refer to världens äldsta yrke (the world’s oldest profession). sex has always been considered a private matter and as such inappropriate to be discussed in public. Thou shalt not approach to his wife (Leviticus 18:14). ‘she conceived’ (Genesis 4:1). and lay with her (Genesis 34:2). Thou hast humbled her (Deuteronomy 21:14). to come in unto us (Genesis 19:31). I went unto the prophetess... like many others. Therefore.. that the expression ‘Adam knew his wife’ means he had sexual intercourse with her. went in unto her (Genesis 29:23). He took her. ‘Do you have someone to wash your clothes?’) Even the most straight-talking obfuscate that line of work. 19 . some of the oldest recorded ones may be tracked in the Bible: “Why does the Bible say. include the following: Adam knew Eve . many of which are listed in Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible. To say Adam ‘knew’ his wife (rather than to say ‘he had sex with her’) is an example of euphemism… Biblical euphemisms for sexual intercourse. since sex is such an essential part of life (in fact.” (Hunt) A recent issue of The Economist illustrates how cross-cultural source of euphemisms sex is. of course.. ‘Adam knew his wife’? Asked a young man in a Sunday school class. it is not surprising that euphemisms for sex are much older than Shakespeare’s puns.. Jacob .With few exceptions. When I came to her. A brothel in Russian is a publichny dom—literally a ‘public house’.. However. Someone answered: ‘It seems obvious he should know the woman to whom he was married!’ Most people realize. Abimelech had not come near her (Genesis 20:4)... I found her not a maid (Deuteronomy 22:14). Swedes. for. The manner of as the earth (Genesis 19:31). pretending it does not exist by not speaking about it is impossible. as a result. and she conceived (Genesis 4:1). noční klub (night club) is generally understood as a place where strippers and/or prostitutes might be offering their services. In 2007 they conducted a study in which they surveyed 477 students and their views on sex. now usually for dancing. your honor.” (“Making Murder Respectable”) In Czech. massage parlors and karaoke bars double as brothels. falang (hair salon) or a zuyu zhongxin (footmassage parlour) can lead to knowing nods and winks.which causes problems when British visitors with rudimentary Russian try to explain the delights of their village hostelry. the widest range of euphemistic (as well as dysphemistic) expressions consists of those referring directly to sexual intercourse. Nevertheless. like in this legendary courtroom exchange: “Did you sleep with this woman?” “Not a wink. As a result. as a group of researchers at the University of Kentucky-Lexington suggest. Germans call the same institution a Puff. which were published in the journal Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health in June 2010. In China many hair salons. The ambiguity of euphemisms for sex serves well for jokes. and the body parts involved. sometimes the level of intimacies hidden behind a euphemism may not be entirely clear. A term Clinton20 .” Perhaps this ambiguity of expressions for sex is what inspired Bill Clinton when he decided to deny his affair with Monika Lewinsky.” Clinton’s statement may have had unforeseen impact. The results. compared with nearly 40 percent of a similar group of students surveyed in 1991. Similarly. this often causes an amusing misunderstanding among students who do not know that a night club in English is simply a place for entertainment. (a corrupted version of ‘soapland’) or a pin-saro (pink salon). very few Czech students would probably guess the real meaning of a call house. such as courtship and pregnancy/giving birth. but also the events preceding and following it. if they heard this word out of context. show that only 20 percent of those students considered oral-genital contact to be sex. For obscure reasons. such places are called sopurando. What has always called for euphemizing is not only the act itself. Hence anmo (massage). saying “I did not have sexual relations with that woman. Another reason why sex is such an abundant source of euphemisms is that it is a very wide topic. In Japan. Gillen and Akande) The results of this research speak in favor of Postman’s assertion that euphemisms may alter society’s imagery. Oh. The Big Bang Theory. using medical terminology may be just as uneasy and embarrassing as vulgarisms.Lewinsky effect has been introduced to refer to the shift in attitude towards this type of sexual contact. a new MasterCard! Sheldon: Uh-oh. Penny: Oh. I just wasn’t sure of the proper protocol now that you and Leonard are no longer having coitus. yay. And no. damn. but shows a higher social intelligence. we could if it were true. Are. yet private company. Penny: What? Sheldon: I was going to get my mail. scientific vocabulary when talking about people’s private lives. here’s the protocol. they cancelled my Visa. Sheldon’s inability to comprehend the inappropriateness of using formal. Penny: Okay. I’m glad we’re still friends. the topic itself is no longer taboo. you and I are still friends. and you stop saying coitus. explaining to Sheldon how people should behave and what they say in everyday situations: Series 3 Episode 20 – The Spaghetti Catalyst Scene: The lobby. In case of speaking about sex publicly. priorities and values. And it is appropriateness that makes the options limited. in contrast to a wannabe actress Penny. are you hoping to get it telepathically? Sheldon: I think you mean telekinetically. The variable which has changed is the coitus. But as you live in the same building. (Hans. Penny: God. you see each other all the time. who mixes up scientific words. good. When sex becomes a topic of conversation in polite. The entertaining aspect of an exchange between two characters in a popular sitcom. as long as the speakers choose appropriate vocabulary. Penny: Okay. Sheldon: Good. can we please just say no longer seeing each other? Sheldon: Well. 21 . is based on a genius physicist. Penny: Right. Popular TV shows also have a strong potential to offer catchphrases. so I’ll hold that in reserve. relying on context and exchanging knowing looks to convey the real meaning. I’d hate for that effort to have been in vain. The internet is obviously the most easily available source and also a tool for people to vote on “top 10 euphemisms for sex”. But all right. Fortunately. But that has judgmental overtones. Sheldon: Harsh terms. Sheldon: Or fornication. while waiting in a line to visit the Empire State Building. or long and complicated. here is an extract from an episode of How I Met Your Mother called “The First Time in New York”. (Veloso) The limited selection of vocabulary which will not offend anyone may be the reason why people often resort to the most general expressions like “do it”. It was a lot of work to accommodate you in my life.Penny: Really? Sheldon: Oh. share their stories of how and when they lost their virginity: 22 . those who consider “doing it” and “sleeping with” unbearably boring have an increasingly wide range of euphemisms to choose from. but do not become widely used. that they only serve to amuse the viewers and avoid censorship. For instance. I’ll just substitute intercourse. However. Penny: Great. the funniest or the most creative euphemisms introduced by TV scriptwriters are often so strongly context dependent. Sheldon: Just to be clear do I have to stop saying coitus with everyone or just you? Penny: Everyone. where the characters. Yeah. “the funniest/the worst euphemisms for sex you have ever heard” etc. yes. Lily : Then you didn't lose your virginity to him. You're a very wise and brilliant man. And even though I just barely had sex. Christopher Columbus. Adam. Lily : Okay. Nobody else tested the water. Lily : No. and the lobby doesn't count. it counts. Marshall : Yes. Oh. Lily Aldrin. They buy tickets to get to the top. I get it. Robin : Yes. uh. Marshall : It's a big deal because it rewrites our history. splashed around in the shallow end. sir. Barney : Ooh. Scooter only got in the lobby. you saucy little harlot..Robin : You only get one shot at losing your virginity. why. he didn't dive all the way into the pool. can you tell me how to get to the Empire State Building? Man: Um. someone else tested the water? Marshall : No. Look. Marshall : Thank you." Whoa. one giant leap for Scooter. Marshall : Really. (Kassie) 23 . we're in it right now. uh. Neil Armstrong.. End of story. uh. why is this such a big deal? Marshall : Why is this such a big deal? Oh. Marshall. but he. Some dude named Scooter. guess who actually discovered the New World. it doesn't. People don't buy tickets to get in the lobby. Just barely doesn't count. Lily : What do you mean just barely? Robin : Well. You've only been in the lobby.. it does. Could it be that before Marshall took a swim. It doesn't count.. Excuse me. right? Scooter? Barney : Who's Scooter? Lily : My high school boyfriend. Lily : No. sir. it doesn't. Lily : No. guess who got with Eve before you did. sorry. it doesn't. hey. have you been to the Empire State Building? No. who I did not have sex with… … Lily : Marshall. it actually goes like this: "One small step for man. it does. If one was unable to gratify oneself. Concerned Mom: She's what? House: Marching the penguin. which they use in public in order to both convey a secret message without impolite whispering. sort of a misnomer. ya ya-ing the sisterhood. which contains eight different euphemisms for sex.. in this case the entertaining effect would very probably be lost. House and a mother who thinks her young daughter may be having epileptic seizures: House: In actuality all your little girl is doing is. Such coded messages include e.. and includes a conversation between Dr. Keyes gives an example of couples who develop private euphemistic language. all participants of the conversation obviously understand very well what the euphemisms refer to. that would be a disorder. the following example may seem funny to the audience not only due to the euphemisms used.g..This extract.D. There's a child in the room.. certainly shows that euphemistic expressions can be a brilliant source of humor. but also because one of the characters does not understand them at first. 24 . It is the creativity that is the source of amusement here. unlike in The Big Bang Theory. or “coitus”. Concerned Mom: Are you saying she’s masturbating? House: (making fun of the mother by talking out of the corner of his mouth so the little girl supposedly won't see that he's talking) I was trying to be discreet. In the previous example.g.. finding Nemo? Little Girl Patient: (giggles) That was funny. In contrast. and to amuse themselves. House: It's called gratification disorder. euphemistic allusions to sex are sometimes used by the speakers in order to exclude unwelcome participants from the conversation as well as amuse. The audience could try to imagine what the same conversation would be like if the creative euphemisms were replaced by e. “had (un)successful sexual intercourse”. (“Euphoria”) As it was mentioned at the beginning of this chapter.. This extract is from an episode of Fox TV’s House M. saying yoo hoo to the hoo hoo. who had nicknamed the man’s penis ‘Winston’ (based on the cigarette slogan ‘Winston tastes good.“Let’s go home and watch some TV”. in fact. Another “couple.” (Keyes 233) To illustrate the creativity with which people invent new euphemisms for sex. enjoyed discussing ‘Winston’s good taste’ in the presence of friends and family. means “Let’s leave and make love”. there are some more examples listed in the following table: 25 . like a cigarette should’). which. can serve as a euphemism for sex – with the help of a context. others seem to be very context dependent. but one thing is clear: almost any human activity. 2. including housework. 26 .com (OffbeatMOG) Some of the listed euphemisms are actually becoming old-fashioned. Euphemisms for sex Bang hanky panky pop the cork bake cookies hippity dippity put sour cream on the taco bury the bone hit it ride the hobby horse butter the muffin horizontal mambo roll in the hay check the oil in and out ring her bell clean the carpets juice someone shag dippity doo da knock boots sink it in dip your pen in the ink lay piping skin the cat do it make babies score exchange bodily fluids make love scratch your itch feed the kitty mattress dance sexercise fix her plumbing nail sweep the chimney funky chicken park thread the needle get a home run party for two throw a log on the fire get busy pass the gravy walk the dog go fishing pickle tickle water the lawn get into one’s pants play doctor wet the wick get your nuts cracked plug and play whoopty do Selected from amog.Tab. Politically correct expressions seem to overlap these suggested groups.3 “instinctive” and “strategic” motives behind using euphemisms were mentioned. and. thereby promoting conscious thinking about how to describe others fairly on their merits. how it is influenced by the process of semantic change (similarly to the euphemism treadmill).5. It reduces the social acceptability of using offensive terms. He says that “for the advocates of politically correct language. 5. there seems to be no clear distinction between euphemisms. a euphemistic expression is one that sounds good. O’Neill examines how politically correct language is related to euphemisms. and speakers tend to further confuse these terms. replacement of existing terminology with politically correct terms has two purported virtues: 1. as a result. even if something is primarily meant to be used for a good purpose. victims of unfair stereotypes gain more respect. and the effects of political correctness on discourse.” Further in his essay. although the “strategic” motives probably prevail. since in his 27 . Ben O’Neill (279-280) points out that those in favor of politically correct language claim that society discourages the use of words that have negative or offensive connotations in order to become more “civilized”. it can usually also be misused. Currently.1 Political correctness In chapter 2. In his essay “A Critique of Politically Correct Language”. which is unfortunate. DOUBLESPEAK: THE DARK SIDE OF EUPHEMISMS As the origin of the word “euphemism” suggests. which does not necessarily mean it is good in essence. Although it is challenging. I believe that the border between honest intentions for using euphemisms and attempts to hide inconvenient truths in public discourse should not be completely blurred. i. It discourages the reflexive use of words that import a negative stereotype.e. Furthermore. 2. He expresses his disagreement and strongly criticizes the alleged purpose of politically correct language. discouraging the reflexive use of words and promoting conscious thinking. both inadvertently and intentionally. various dictionaries give different definitions. political correctness or doublespeak. Moreover. or too complicated. and therefore often ridiculed. having learning difficulties White Caucasian Blind visually challenged Crippled differently abled Fat overweight Tab. misleading. 3. It sometimes promotes or amounts to outright dishonesty. the drive for this kind of language involves aggressive attempts to delegitimize the use of politically incorrect terms that fail to keep up with current fashions.” (O’Neill 286) Another concern expressed by a rising number of people is that political correctness actually limits open debates. and highly reflexive in character. who decide what is (politically) correct and what is not. without being imposed on by those in power. Examples of politically correct terms Retarded mentally challenged. Terms designed to ridicule political correctness Alive temporarily metabolically abled Bald follicularly challenged Lazy motivationally deficient Fat gravitationally challenged Poor economically marginalized Selected from “A List of PC Terms” 28 . faddish. The satire seems to flourish. consisting in large part of euphemisms. This concern is reflected in both serious articles and satirical shows or websites.opinion the effect is exactly opposite: “Politically correct language is narrow. Citizens of democratic countries tend to highly value the possibility to express one’s opinion openly in public. Tab. that it threatens the freedom of speech. 4. as it probably results from the increasing sensitivity to politically correct terms which are rather controversial. taken from an episode called “Belly Full of Turkey”. not civility.2 of this paper persists.e. disapprovingly): Oh. in which the characters discuss how they are going to celebrate the Thanksgiving: Robin: So. most accurate. Lily and Marshall sitting at booth at MacLaren's) Barney: Thanksgiving in a strip club! Who’s in? The Lusty Leopard has a surprisingly good Thanksgiving buffet. it is rather Barney’s pretence to misunderstand what really annoys Lilly (i. and they share a meal together…(Barney indicates what sharing a meal really means using his mimes and gestures) Lilly (looking disgusted. as if he “realized” that such language may cause offence. based on religious belief and tradition. Barney!! Barney: I’m sorry. and Misty dresses up as an Indian. then? Ted: No. but rather the dishonest society. and most sensitive term to use in a given context. Barney. Postman believes that a society changes its values by altering the vocabulary. Barney’s got his own Thanksgiving tradition. they do this thing: Heather dresses up as a Pilgrim. handicapped. disabled. making the politically correct terms sound ridiculous has become a common means of entertainment. Barney showing disrespect to America’s public holiday. and for propaganda over honesty. or another term is the best. probably hanging out with Barney. Native American. in this scene it is not the euphemism used for an erotic performance in a strip club which carries the main amusing aspect. (flashback to Ted. celebrating it in a rather perverse way).” 29 . The politically correct society is not the civilized society. for vagueness over specificity. (Soleine92) Apparently. This reality is manifested in the preference for euphemism over literalism. Plus.In fact. The question raised in chapter 2. This is another example of a conversation among the characters in a popular sitcom How I Met Your Mother. But to move toward euphemistic terminology that is stripped of all meaning and to attack aggressively those who continue to use meaningful words are not examples of sensitivity…At the heart of politically correct language lies dishonesty. yet O’Neill (291) argues that “we may legitimately debate whether crippled. apologizing for using a politically incorrect term instead. there is nothing positive in doublespeak. However. Rather than strictly stating that they are either honest or dishonest.His view could be supported by Pinker’s comment on current politically correct terms for racial groups. language that is at variance with its real or purported meaning.2 Doublespeak When analyzing the motives behind political correctness (PC) in detail.is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable. question-begging and sheer cloudy vagueness…Such phraseology is needed if one wants to name things without calling up mental pictures of them. It is language that conceals or prevents thought. "I believe in killing off your opponents when you can get good results by doing so. Doublespeak is language that avoids or shifts responsibility. he will say something like this: 30 . he notes that “we will know we have achieved equality and mutual respect when names for minorities stay put”. the term Doublespeak itself is believed to originate from two words. and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind.” It is remarkable how Lutz’s definition of Doublespeak is similar to Orwell’s analysis of the language of politics in his classical essay: “Political language…. Orwell (7) claims: “In our time. Having spent many years studying this particular language phenomenon.” In fact. It is language that makes the bad seem good. “newspeak” and “doublethink”. political speech and writing are largely the defense of the indefensible…Thus political language has to consist largely of euphemism. He cannot say outright. therefore. the conclusion may be: it is both. (Pinker) 5. Consider for instance some comfortable English professor defending Russian totalitarianism. rather than extending thought. William Lutz (347-348) has established a widely accepted definition of Doublespeak: “[it] is language that pretends to communicate but really does not. doublespeak limits it. the honesty of those motives remains disputable. the unpleasant appear attractive or at least tolerable. In his essay Politics and the English Language." Probably. compared to PC. both of which Orwell introduced in his dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty Four. the negative appear positive. jargon.” (Lutz “The World of” 348-351) A) Euphemisms Although Lutz (“The World of” 348) admits that euphemisms may be considered doublespeak. euphemizing is given negative connotations.” He believes that a euphemism becomes doublespeak when “it is designed to mislead. “asymmetric warfare” for “suicide bombing attacks”. it becomes doublespeak. It is language designed to alter our perception of reality. “enhanced interrogation” which in fact means “torture”. It is the real purpose of using euphemisms which makes all the difference. in fact. However. etc.” For instance. [when] its real intent is at variance with its apparent intent. The inflated style itself is a kind of euphemism. agree that a certain curtailment of the right to political opposition is an unavoidable concomitant of transitional periods. Lutz makes a clear distinction between euphemisms proper and doublespeak. four kinds: “euphemism. when the government’s aim is to cover up the unpleasant reality of war.While freely conceding that the Soviet regime exhibits certain features which the humanitarian may be inclined to deplore. “collateral damage” instead of “killing innocent bystanders”. 31 . he makes it clear that euphemizing itself is a positive thing. He says that there is nothing wrong with using the expressions such as “pass away” or “go to the restroom”. in his view such behavior can be regarded as a mark of courtesy and good manners. we must.g. He divides doublespeak into four categories. as long as the speaker’s intentions to use euphemisms are honest. I think.” In Orwell’s essay. e. Lutz (“The World of” 349) puts it simply: “When a euphemism is used to deceive. to cover up the unpleasant. just like in O’Neill’s. i. gobbledygook or bureaucratese. and inflated language. it designs terminology that makes it sound less concrete and less horrible. and that the rigors which the Russian people have been called upon to undergo have been amply justified in the sphere of concrete achievement. or. or respect for a recognized cultural or social taboo. concern for someone’s feelings.e. According to Lutz (349). Inspired by Lutz’s characterization. Sometimes. and. What makes overwhelming the audience with long sentences full of big words doublespeak is again the intention to conceal the reality. C) Gobbledygook Lutz (“The world of” 350) established gobbledygook (or bureaucratese) as the third kind of doublespeak. obscure. gobbledygook could also be the evidence of how doublespeak limits thought rather than supporting it.B) Jargon Similarly to euphemisms. as well as misused and thus become doublespeak. they do not dare to ask. and what Lutz (“The world of” 351) explains as language “designed to make the ordinary seem extraordinary. to make the simple seem complex. the listeners assume that the information is valid. the analysis of gobbledygook reveals that the speaker himself probably does not even know what he was saying. the ordinary profound. for fear of looking uneducated and ridiculous. to give an air of importance to people. allowing the members of a professional group to communicate efficiently with each other). and prestige to speakers and their subject matter. jargon can be perceived as doublespeak when it is “pretentious. if they do not understand what is being communicated. the intent to impress is often connected with misleading the general public. Because the speaker using jargon sounds like an expert. In this sense it is not used to express but impress. and esoteric terminology used to give an air of profundity. D) Inflated language Inflated language is what Orwell criticized as a negative kind of euphemizing. original purpose (i. Jargon as doublespeak often makes the simple appear complex. rather than deliberate attempt to mislead the audience. situations or things that would not normally be considered important.e. jargon can also be used for its good. authority. to make everyday things seem impressive. Although.” It is this kind of doublespeak that Lutz considers both amusing and dangerous.” Again. I would further divide “Inflated language as 32 . unfamiliar with particular jargon. the obvious insightful. lying according to Herman includes selecting and shaping facts which do not fit an agenda or program. or inspire the creation of similarly sounding words which serve to ridicule the original.e. without being revealed or punished. or “unmanned aerial vehicles”? Doublespeak becomes dangerous when it is successfully used to mislead. the listeners succumb to the illusion that they have been told the truth (i. “rapid oxidation”. “preemptive counterattack”. since . etc. to appear to communicate when it does not. i. customers are more satisfied when purchasing a “pre-owned”.they amuse rather than mislead. and they are mostly harmless.2) Dangerous doublespeak What is really hidden behind “revenue enhancement”.if anything . the border between the harmless and harmful doublespeak is thin: it depends on the language users’ ability to recognize and fight the carefully designed terms whose aim is to avoid responsibility and blur inconvenient truths. Moreover. Nevertheless. “poorly buffered precipitation”. because of the above mentioned controversy (amusement versus danger): D.1) Extraordinarily ordinary Expressions belonging to this group are not difficult to notice and are often humorous. given the important 33 .e. who stresses that the important thing in the world of doublespeak is the ability to lie successfully. or “experienced” car rather than a “used” one. (Lutz “The World of” 352-353) This category corresponds to doublespeak characterized by the political economist and media analyst Edward S. and “garbage men” are called “sanitation engineers” while performing the same job. when people fail to notice it and enable doublespeak to alter the perception of reality and corrupt thought. This is how “secretaries” become “executive assistants”.doublespeak” into two subcategories. Herman. “car mechanics” are “automotive internists”. D. and this is where doublespeak becomes particularly “useful”. These expressions can sometimes be perceived as political correctness or euphemisms. politicians do not “lie” but are “economical with the truth”. Why is this kind of doublespeak dangerous? Because living in illusions and believing lies means losing personal freedom.information). It is not surprising that doublespeak is mostly employed in the areas of business. which serve sometimes to foist a particular line and frame on the media. “the monopolistic control over media. the state wants to control what people think. “It is much more difficult to see a propaganda system at work where the media are private and the formal censorship is absent. against the corruption of language which can have far-reaching consequences. and at other times to help chase unwanted stories off the front page or out of the media altogether. as “[it] breeds suspicion. (Herman and Chomsky 1) They claim that media are rarely truly impartial. powerful sources regularly take advantage of media routines and dependency to “manage” the media… Part of this management process consists of inundating the media with stories. Lutz (“The World of” 353) warns against the dangers of doublespeak. cynicism.” However. while this information is transmitted in the way which “makes murder sound respectable”. often supplemented by official censorship. and politics. It is very difficult to call authorities on whom one depends for daily news liars… Perhaps more important. hostility. and. distrust. in Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media they argue that people in modern democratic society consist of decision-makers and social participants who have to be made to agree. makes it clear that the media serve the ends of a dominant elite. but they also pay close attention to how they say it. Doublespeak is 34 . ultimately. “The media may feel obligated to carry extremely dubious stories and mute criticism in order not to offend their sources and disturb a close relationship.” (Herman and Chomsky 22-23) What is more. the “Manufacture of consent”. and. not only do those in power decide what to say.” And that is what Herman and Chomsky analyze and call a “Propaganda Model”. (Herman) Noam Chomsky and Edward Herman give examples of the structural nature of the use of doublespeak. for many reasons. since their actions can be controlled. They say that those in power in a totalitarian state do not care much about what citizens think. advertising. if citizens have the freedom of speech. However. established in 1971. similarly to Lutz. linguists.” Using the comparison to Orwell’s novel. Political manifestos and speeches. Their effort and ideas deserve to be acknowledged and further developed. such as The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Committee on Public Doublespeak. then the world of 1984. the harmless-sounding names for the gas chambers and crematoria. The powerful will always dominate the society. That said. it is not ideal. and to advance their agenda) are worth supporting. Daniel Dieterich. Regrettably.g. which is communication between people and social groups. Jacques Ellul). although the situation in democratic countries is better than in those with totalitarian regimes. unfortunately. through various means including language. political and media analysts (e. are a part of how society is organized.3 Fighting back The attempts to manipulate. Fortunately. a euphemism for extermination. followed by "bath houses" (Badeanstalten) and "special installations" (Spezialeinrichtungen). George Orwell. as they belong to human nature and. and committees. The cynical misuse of language may go as far as speaking about "Jewish problem" which was solved through the "Final Solution" (Endlösung). can hardly be eradicated. many useful contributions have already been made by various writers. no elections or revolutions seem to be able to change this. is upon us.” (Lutz 353) 5. the Orwell Award (for outstanding contributors to the critical analysis of public discourse). and. infamous concentration camps entrance signs "Work Will Set You Free" (Arbeit Macht Frei). I shall suggest the form that the resistance to being manipulated by doublespeak can have. Hugh Rank. with its control of reality through language. As means of attracting public attention. William Lutz. Lutz is very direct about what failure to understand the dangers of doublespeak may lead to: “If we really believe that we understand such language and that such language communicates and promotes clear thought.insidious because it can infect and eventually destroy the function of language. legal and business 35 . I believe that accepting this as a fact and giving up on resisting manipulation might have disastrous consequences. and the Doublespeak Award (an ironic award for speakers who have seriously misused language to deceive. documents. such analysis would not be very efficient if most language users were not familiar with both the beauty and the power of language. It is vital for students to learn to use language effectively. 36 . media discourse. Nevertheless. and other ways to use or abuse language. education is necessary to help fight doublespeak. to be able to identify euphemisms. Therefore. need to be critically examined. doublespeak. and all other examples of using language to influence listeners and achieve some goals. and its potential abuse. linguistically. It is probably due to political correctness and doublespeak that the society is becoming more sensitive to using vague language and demands avoiding euphemisms. the ever-changing essence of both euphemistic expressions and the realities they refer to. independent of the words used to talk about them? I believe that language both reflects and shapes thoughts. and. Nevertheless.6. is clear: it is impossible. euphemisms have the potential to alter the reality. Moreover. I have encountered suggestions that euphemizing should be eradicated. Furthermore. While it is true that. there is serious misunderstanding. As I discussed in this paper. their purpose and effect significantly differ. they are related to speakers’ good manners. euphemisms. does the society employ euphemisms in order to gradually change its values. My answer to the question if euphemisms should be completely avoided. if used with honest intentions. and this became my motive for the closer examination of euphemisms. euphemisms alone are not omnipotent. spur the listeners’ imagination. That is why euphemistic expressions remain a helpful tool in the process of changing people’s attitudes. speakers use euphemisms with the expectation that the listeners will understand exactly what is hidden behind the words. fears or values of a society. euphemisms can carry amusing aspects. calling for being more “direct” and “honest”. While writing my paper. The purpose of doublespeak is in fact opposite to that of euphemisms. they are probably as old as language itself. euphemisms are a necessary part of every culture. However. CONCLUSION Recently. and not even desirable. politically correct language and doublespeak have much in common. Firstly. express concern for the feelings of others. sometimes not. there are other aspects that influence the priorities. therefore. the bright and the dark sides of euphemisms. and promote complex thoughts. I tried to find my own answers to several questions raised. in my opinion. and show respecting cultural taboos. which is sometimes successful. as some people suggest. or can the “euphemism treadmill” serve as evidence supporting the claim that taboos persist. I have explored the ways euphemisms are created. in addition to mutual 37 . While euphemisms promote complex thoughts. the listeners consciously analyze the vague expressions). to hide inconvenient truths. language users should be aware that it is not the words themselves. I strongly believe that everyone needs to pay attention to language used as a tool of manipulation. but the intentions that are good or bad. to amuse. to blur the reality. doublespeak aims to limit or prevent clear thinking. To sum up. the purpose of doublespeak is to mislead. with considerable effort. Education or experience is vital to help the speakers distinguish between naked truths and lies in disguise. Using inflated language confuses the listeners. 38 . in some cases. or. By contrast. overwhelming them with words so that they do not detect what is really hidden behind those words (unless.understanding that the intention to use a euphemism is to avoid offence. Print. 1993. “Sex Redefined: The Reclassification Of Oral-Genital Contact”. Martie Gillen and Katrina Akande. Print.ascopubs.. Oxford: OUP.com. 2012.d.edu. 2002. Political Commentaries. “Little Versus Big Lies (And Structure of Lies)”.d. and Thomas Pyles. 21 Feb. and Noam Chomsky. 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