Euphemisms—nice-sounding words or phrases substituted for words thought to sound harsh or ugly—are sometimes appropriate. We may use euphemisms out of concern for someone’s feelings. Telling parents, for example, that their daughter is “unmotivated” is more sensitive than saying she’s lazy. Tact or politeness, then, can occasionally justify euphemisms, but use them sparingly.
Most euphemisms are needlessly evasive or even deceitful.
|
EUPHEMISM |
PLAIN ENGLISH |
|
preowned automobile |
used car |
|
revenue enhancers |
taxes |
|
chemical dependency |
drug addiction |
|
correctional facility |
prison |
The term doublespeak applies to any deliberately evasive or deceptive language, including euphemisms. Doublespeak is especially common in politics and business. A military retreat is described as tactical redeployment; enhanced interrogation is a euphemism for “torture”; and downsizing really means “firing employees.”