The fair sex

My better half

2. logical is based on the logical associations: instruments of destruction = guns; the most pardonable of human weaknesses (love).

3. figurative is bathed either on metaphor or metonymy, the key word of the collocation being the word used figuratively: to tie the knot = to get married; the punctual servant of all work = the sun

Functions and stylistic effects

- to convey an individual perception of an object

- to intensify the noticeable property of an object by naming the object by the property

Euphemism (to speak well) is used to replace an unpleasant word or phrase by a more acceptable, conventional one.

In an open barouche stood a stout gentleman, two young ladies, and a lady of doubtful age. (Ch. Dickens)

The origin of euphemism – religious taboo dictated the avoidance of certain terms (to utter the name of a person who was no longer living). They were widely used in England in the 16^th – 18^th centuries.

E.g.: to die - to join the majority, to pass away, to breathe one's last, to go West, to kick the bucket, etc.;

Devil - the deuce, Old Nick, Harry, Gentleman, adversary, gooseberry, etc.

God – Lord, Goodness, Heaven

We were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way (=hell). (Ch. Dickens)

The trite euphemisms have become euphemistic synonyms.

Euphemism is sometimes figuratively called “ a whitewashing device ” as it offers a more polite qualification instead of a coarser one.

They think we have come by this horse in some dishonest manner = we stole the horse. (Ch. Dickens)

They are divided into several groups according to their sphere of application:

- religious

- moral

- medical: cuckoo (mentally unballanced)

- political: banana republic (a poor and possibly corrupt country)

A euphemism is a supposedly inoffensive word or phrase substituted for an offensive one. During World War II, Japanese-Americans living on the West Coast were forced to move to what the government called "relocation centres." However, the places where the Nazis imprisoned Jews and other cap­tives were referred to disparagingly by the Allies as "concentration camps." During the Vietnam War, euphemisms were widely used in government reports about the American presence in Southeast Asia. For example, the 1970 American invasion of Cambodia was described by the government as an " incursion," thereby making it sound less serious than the more negative "invasion."Bombs were known as "anti-personnel weapons "; the war itself (which, in fact, was never declared by Congress) was continually referred to as a " conflict "; and the U.S. didn't withdraw; the American presence was "de-escalated. " Misguided criminals for terrorists – BBC attempts to strip away all emotions by using what it considers neutral descriptions when describing those who carried out the bombing in the London Tubes.

In Modern English euphemisms are widely known as politically correct language.

person with an alternative body image – fat

hair disadvantaged – bald

incomplete/deferred success – failure

person of differing sobriety – drunk

vertically challenged – short

economically disadvantaged – poor

C.E.(Common Era) – A.D. (in the year of the Lord)

fire-fighter - fireman

floor technician - cleaning lady

great figures in history - great men in history

Disphemisms are conspicuously rough, rude and impolite phrases or words: to kick the bucket - to die krauthead = a German soldier (WWII)

будка, пика, рило = обличчя

Functions and stylistic effects

- to give a more positive characterisation of the object described

- to soften the reader’s perception of events; to cover up what the real situation is

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