Лексикология английского языка

Vocabulary

conceptional понятийный

connote иметь дополнительное значение

causative причинный

defiant вызывающий

duality of synonyms двойственность синонимов

fictitious воображаемый

precision точность

shade оттенок

Lecture 12

Euphemisms. Antonyms

(pp. 210 – 219)

1. 
   Euphemisms. Their types and functions.
   
2. 
   Antonyms. Which parts of speech do most antonyms belong to?
   

1. 
   Euphemisms. Their types and functions
   

There are words in every language which people instinctively avoid because they are considered indecent, indelicate, rude or impolite. As the “offensive” referents, for which these words stand, must be alluded too, they are often described in a round-about way, by using substitutes called euphemisms. This device is dictated by social conventions which are sometimes apt to be over-sensitive, see “indecency” where there is none and seek refinement in absurd avoidances and pretentiousness.

The word lavatory has produced many euphemisms: powder room, washroom, restroom, and ladies’ (room), gentlemen’s room.

Pregnancy is another topic for “delicate” references. Here are euphemisms used as substitutes for the adjective pregnant: in an interesting condition, in a delicate condition, in the family way, expecting.

The love of affectation, which displays itself in the excessive use of euphemisms, has never been a sign of good taste or genuine refinement. Quite the opposite. Fiction writers have often ridiculed pretentious people for their weak attempts to express themselves in a delicate and refined way.

“ Mrs. Sunbury never went to bed, she retired, but Mr. Sunbury who was not

quite so refined as his wife always said, “Me for Bedford”…

To retire in this ironical passage is a euphemistic substitute for to go to bed.

There are words which are easy targets for euphemistic substitution. These include words associated with drunkenness, which are very numerous. The adjective drunk has a great number of such substitutes, e.g. intoxicated (form.), tipsy, high, merry, overcome, full (coll.), drunk as a lord (coll.), boiled (sl. набравшийся), soaked (sl. насосавшийся).

Euphemisms may be used due to genuine concern not to hurt someone’s feelings. For instance, a lier can be described as a person who does not always tell the truth and a stupid man can be said to be not exactly brilliant.

All the euphemisms that have been described so far are used to avoid the so-called social taboos. Their use is inspired by social convention.