The Politics of Euphemism

The term "euphemism" refers to words that people use to soften some harsh reality by employing in place of frank language to refer to it terms which, because they seem vague or indirect or maybe just milder, are supposed to have a less shocking or grating effect on the listener or reader's sensibility.

Conventionally euphemism is advised or justified for reasons of interpersonal sensitivity--making the communication of unavoidably unpleasant information no more disagreeable than it absolutely has to be. However, euphemisms are often a matter not of protecting those to whom we are speaking but ourselves as we engage in a self-serving deception. Like President Lisa Simpson calling the tax hike she is foisting on the public a "temporary refund adjustment."

Indeed, one often finds that in public life and its associated discourse this is basically what euphemism comes down to--deflecting criticism from things as they are, and from those who hold power, so that just as President Simpson looked like she was managing to do until her brother (like so many a chief executive's embarrassing sibling) inadvertently rendered the public a service by making it perfectly clear just what was going on.

By contrast when it serves the same agendas what we get is not euphemism but dysphemism intended to maximize shock and offense and inflame the emotions against those they want the public to be stirred up against.

Watch for these uses of euphemism and dysphemism--and don't let yourself be fooled by the shabby wordplay involved.