Topic > Euphemism: The Power of Communication

Webster's Dictionary defines euphemism as the replacement of a pleasant or inoffensive expression with an expression that may offend or suggest something unpleasant. Eu- is a Greek term for “good” or “good sounding” and pheme translates as “speech,” so it equates to good-sounding speech. An absolute definition can be difficult to capture because it is subject to one's interpretation! A person can twist, flip, stretch, or interpret the definition of anything to justify an argument. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Euphemisms consist of two parts: the symbolic and the descriptors. The descriptor provides the necessary link between the actual object described and what it symbolizes. We all do it at some point. For example, we certainly don't like calling people fat, which is why we use everyday euphemisms like "sloppy," even though when the meaning is so well known, it can be just as offensive. I consider it a natural human tendency to do a little instant self-sanitization, to satisfy our current audience, or, to quote the immortal Mary Poppins, to add the proverbial "spoonful of sugar" to help the medicine go down. In a political context, a politician uses euphemisms to persuasively convey to their audience their political beliefs and why they are important to that audience. In his 1946 essay, Politics and the English Language, George Orwell criticizes the language of his time as “ugly and imprecise.” He claims that mid-20th-century prose was used so carelessly that it lost its genuine meaning and instead became ambiguous and empty. While there are some who might find it financially or politically advantageous to euphemize their language, Orwell warns that the phenomenon hardly stops there. The "contagion", as he calls it, has spread to the general public so much so that those who have no intention of hiding something as brutal as "genocide" still only talk about "ethnic cleansing". This reminds me of the famous Spiderman dialogue “With great power comes great responsibility”. Most of us fail to consider the power we hold through our daily use of tongue and pen. As human beings, constantly working for the betterment of society, it is our duty to consciously reject the vague euphemistic language that has been recommended over the years by politics and the media. It is our responsibility to allow the light of truth to shine in our words. We should be aware, careful and cautious in choosing our language. We must always consider the great responsibility associated with its use. Review of an Email - Office Food Collection Project Provide an overall critique of this email. This email provides information that this year's Hunger Action Month will begin on September 1st. The goal of this action is to provide more food to the community through a competitive mode. What is the writer's goal? This writer's goal is to disseminate information about this year's Hunger Action Month to all employees. Has the writer achieved his goal? I don't think the writer achieves her goal because she may not draw people's attention to this email. If not, what would you change to help the document achieve the writer's goal? First, I will make the topic more great like “Hunger Action Month returns September 1st!!!!!!” Secondly, I will use bullet points to explain the detailed information.