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Euphemania
Euphemania: Our Love Affair with Euphemisms | Ralph Keyes
2 posts | 1 read | 1 to read
How did die become kick the bucket, underwear become unmentionables, and having an affair become hiking the Appalachian trail? Originally used to avoid blasphemy, honor taboos, and make nice, euphemisms have become embedded in the fabric of our language. EUPHEMANIA traces the origins of euphemisms from a tool of the church to a form of gentility to today's instrument of commercial, political, and postmodern doublespeak. As much social commentary as a book for word lovers, EUPHEMANIA is a lively and thought-provoking look at the power of words and our power over them.
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MrsLee
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After all the chapters about sex and bodily function euphemisms, which i thought would never end, this book became interesting and enlightening. To see how substitute words can obscure an agenda, or perhaps show compassion, was interesting indeed.

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MrsLee
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One of my current reads. A slow read, and sometimes anger-making because it points out how we avoid our bad actions by calling them obscure names.

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