O euphemism it is a figure of speech classified as a figure of thought. Figures of speech, as we have already seen, are styles that, in addition to embellishing, give another intensity to sentences and expressions.
Figures of thought are those that appeal to the imagination of the recipient of the message. It is linked to the idea of saying something with another expression.
We talk here on the blog about one of these figures, which was hyperbole, in which the interlocutor uses exaggeration to express himself.
In the euphemism it's just the opposite. It's about softening expressions to convey an idea. This usually happens when there is something bad. The very meaning of the word euphemism is something akin to "good word."
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Here are some examples:
Let's get to the meaning of these three examples? In the first place, so-and-so to go from this for the better is to say that someone has died, but at the same time, to give a tone of relief to the person who receives the news.
Cicrano not being lived enough to understand and act properly means to say that the person is immature and childish.
Beltrana, on the other hand, having a different taste for clothes is a polite way of saying she dresses badly.
Many of these expressions serve to give a tone of relief and lessen the impact of the information on the recipient. At other times, they are used as an act of education.
For example, some swear words are replaced by interjections. Other words substitute for something disgusting, depending on the environment and situation. Gross expressions are replaced with far more polite terms.
However, some people, in an attempt to be euphemistic, end up being rude. An example of this is changing the term “deceased” by foul expressions such as “carrying the bran”, “eating grass by the roots”, etc. Care must be taken with the occasion and the proper use of expressions.
For example, people who seek to be more polite, instead of saying that someone is a liar, say that he “has broken the truth”.
In environments where people are eating, it is much more accurate to say that a person has had an eating problem. However, without the necessary care, they may end up saying that this person has had diarrhea. Needless to say, how much it will annoy whoever is present.
In another case, when there is a conversation about love relationships, for example, to lessen the impact about the image of a person, it is common to say that the guy is a man “who hasn't got it right with a woman yet”. That's a softer way of saying he's a bastard.
Newspapers, for example, in order not to panic the population and cause chaos in the streets, can say that the number of people infected by a certain disease is growing day by day and asking people to take vaccine. It's also a euphemistic way of saying there's an epidemic.
If you want to know more about the others speech figures, access this link and delve into the theme.
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