Euphemistic Expressions Research Articles

Sposoby wyrażania śmierci w inskrypcjach nagrobnych ze Starego Cmentarza w Zakopanem

MEANS OF EXPRESSING DEATH IN GRAVESTONE INSCRIPTIONS FROM THE OLD CEMETERY IN ZAKOPANE The article investigates linguistic and extralinguistic means of notifying of death through gravestone inscriptions in Zakopane. The analysis of 595 inscriptions from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries allowed us to establish that the repertoire of linguistic means of signalling death is much more differentiated than the extralinguistic one. Linguistic measures include: 1. lexemes directly communicating death (e.g. verbs: to die, to commit suicide; participles: killed); 2. euphemistic expressions for death (death is metaphorically expressed as: rest, sleep, transformation in the world of flora, extinguished flame, journey, sacrifice); 3. date of death. Extralinguistic measures include: 1. ideograms in the form of an obelisk (dagger) †; 2. placing names in a certain context, in the burial area, at a cemetery gravestone. The analysis results were compared with results of studies of inscriptions from other cemeteries in Poland, which showed that the fundamental manner of speaking of death is constant, independent of place or time – discrepancies pertain to nuances only.

Functional and semantic peculurities of personal euphemisms of the Uzbek language through the prism of Russian and English cultures

The subject of the study is the euphemistic codes of modern Russian, Uzbek and English languages, selected by continuous sampling from a variety of sources, including modern explanatory, specialized and linguistic dictionaries, as well as authentic texts of fiction and journalism. The total number of examples amounted to more than 1,234 units, of which 399 relate to Russian, 435 to Uzbek and 400 to English, which provided an opportunity to conduct a detailed analysis and formulate reliable conclusions. The purpose of the study is to identify and analyze the functional and semantic characteristics of personal euphemistic codes of the Uzbek language through the prism of comparison with Russian and English cultures. The novelty of the research lies in the fact that for the first time a comparative study is conducted focusing on the functional and semantic aspects of euphemistic units in the context of the linguistic and cultural paradigm. The main attention is paid to the analysis of ways to replace negative connotations associated with personal peculurities (age, death, and the nominative field "fat"), and to identify cultural factors influencing the formation and use of euphemistic units of the Uzbek language against the background of Russian and English cultures. For the first time, a quantitative analysis of functional and semantic groups of personal euphemisms is carried out in a comparative aspect, on the basis of which it is concluded that the national and cultural characteristics of the life of native speakers of Russian, English and Uzbek languages and the peculiarities of their mentality underlie the euphemistic nomination of a personal topic. The results of the research revealed unique cultural features in the formation and use of euphemistic units. Quantitative analysis has shown that in the Uzbek language the largest percentage of euphemistic codes refers to the sphere of death, which is significantly higher than in Russian and English. The euphemistic units associated with old age also differ: the Uzbek language shows a higher rate compared to Russian and English. On the contrary, euphemistic expressions regarding the negative connotation of "fat" are more common in English and Russian, compared to Uzbek.

Challenges Face Exegetists in Rendering Quranic Euphemistic Expressions into English

The Arab Nomads were infamous for their brutal acts against humanity in the Pre-Islamic Era, also known as the age of ignorance. The introduction of Islam and its teachings by the Prophet Muhammad, who received the Holy Qur'an in Arabic, played a significant role in the transformation of the nomads into a more civilized society during the period of Islamic dominance in the Arabian Peninsula. Arabic is considered one of the most magnificent languages due to the elegance of its words, the sophistication of its grammar, the precision of its structures, and the versatility in expressing various concepts. Despite the fact that the ancestors of the Arabs were ancient people, the Arabs themselves were driven by a strong sense of compassion that extended to all their tribes. The ideas presented were indeed remarkable. In Arabic, euphemisms are used to soften sensitive topics, a linguistic feature shared with other languages. Euphemisms allow individuals to refer to a situation indirectly through the use of figurative language. Arabic encompasses the overarching term بلاغـــة (metonymy), with تـلطيـف (softness) being the most relevant co-hyponym. This study critically analyzes the differences and similarities in the use of euphemistic expressions between Arabic and English, shedding light on the linguistic and cultural aspects of both languages.

Translation of British Relations with China from an Explicitation Perspective (I)

British Relations with China is a political commentary taken from the Edinburgh Review(1802-1929). It delves into the political and commercial interactions between Britain and China in the mid-19th century and is marked by overt political bias and personal nuances. The study analyzes the English-to-Chinese translation of British Relations with China from the perspective of the Explicitation of Ideational Metafunction. Interpretation, addition, extension, conversion and substitution are employed to make metaphors, euphemistic expressions or omitted information explicit.

Epitaph in English: A sociolinguistic Analysis

The study examines the use of language in epitaphs from a sociolinguistic perspective. The current study aims to analyze the syntactic and morphological aspects of epitaphs in English beside examining the use of euphemistic expressions. The study Identifies social factors like gender, age, and status that influence the writing of epitaphs and how the deceased's role in life is portrayed. Finally, the study aims to explore the cultural values and beliefs about death and the afterlife reflected in English epitaphs. This genre has received little attention in studies. In order to achieve the aims of the study, the researcher proposes some hypotheses which are: (i) There are significant differences in the syntactic and morphological structures of English epitaphs. (ii) The use of euphemistic expressions expresses differently in English epitaphs. (iii) The social status, age and gender of the deceased are reflected in English epitaphs. (iv) Culture and religion influence the content of English epitaphs. The study analyzes 13 English epitaphs using qualitative research design. The key findings indicate differences in morpho-syntactic structure, with no gender markers used in English epitaphs . implicit euphemisms is found in English epitaphs. Social factors like gender, age, and status are more frequently reflected in English epitaph. There are differences in the linguistic cues used for male versus female epitaphs. The study provides insights into how language reflects cultural and societal norms in funeral rituals.

Strategies of Translating Euphemistic Expressions from Arabic into English: A Comparative Study of Artificial Intelligence Models with Human Translation

Euphemism is used to soften rude expressions or words. Translating euphemisms is a very challenging task for human translators and will be more difficult for AI applications. Almost all previous studies have clustered around studying the efficiency, accuracy, coherence and cohesion of AI translation in comparison to human translation. However, these studies have not tackled the strategies used in both types of translations. Consequently, this study aims to identify the strategies utilized by AI Models with human translation when translating euphemistic expressions from Arabic into English. Additionally, it aims to evaluate how these methods influence the translation accuracy of both human translators and AI models in both directions of translation (Arabic to English and English to Arabic). The researchers have utilized some euphemistic expressions taken from the Holy Quran, Prophetic Hadiths, and some previous studies. These expressions have been inputted into AI models. The outcomes of these AI models are compared to Human translation, using Baker’s (2013) translation strategies. Researchers have analysed the collected data quantitatively. The results revealed that translation by a more general word and translation by cultural substitution strategies were mostly used by human translation whereas translation using a loan word strategy is mostly used by AI models. The findings also showed that human translators outperform AI models regarding cultural substitution. It has been found that the direction of language plays a crucial role in AI outcomes, as they perform better when translating from English into Arabic.

Sociolinguistic Investigation of Euphemisms in Yorùbá and Ẹ̀dó

Euphemisms are an essential lubricant and catalyst for interpersonal communication, used by individuals to deliver complex and somewhat provocative messages in a more placid and thoughtful manner. Therefore, they play a crucial role in social interactions and daily conversations. This study investigates the sociocultural nuances that influence the use of euphemisms among Yorùbá and Ẹ̀dó speakers, as well as how the speakers employ the rewording system to navigate or manage intricate social relationships in culturally sensitive environments, and sustain harmony within their communities. Unlike previous research focusing broadly on African and Nigerian languages, this research uniquely compares the nuanced use of euphemisms among speakers of these specific cultural and linguistic groups. Drawing from Politeness Theory (Brown & Levinson, 1987) and the Connotative Theory of Meaning (Trask, 1999), the study employs an eclectic framework. Qualitative data, gathered through recordings and transcriptions of interviews with adult native speakers, were thematically analyzed. The findings reveal that both Yorùbá and Ẹ̀dó languages feature euphemisms characterized by shared traits, yet they also exhibit distinct differences in composition and semantic features. In Yorùbá discourse, euphemisms often take the form of indirect references or metaphors, particularly when discussing sensitive subjects like sexuality, death, or social misconduct. Conversely, Ẹ̀dó speakers tend to employ more direct and straightforward euphemistic expressions. Despite these differences, both cultures share a common emphasis on social hierarchy and respect, using euphemisms as a culturally sanctioned means to delicately broach diverse topics. In all, both cultures prioritise social hierarchy and respect, and euphemisms provide a culturally accepted means of discreetly discussing diverse topics. Overall, This study highlights the significance of euphemisms in facilitating effective communication and nurturing interpersonal relationships within linguistically diverse communities. It enriches our understanding of how language choices reflect and uphold cultural norms, offering insights that contribute to broader discussions on communication strategies and cultural sensitivity.

Euphemisms as Cultural and Social Phenomenon: Cross- Cultural Contrastive Study of English and Albanian Euphemistic Expressions

Euphemisms have been traditionally viewed as social taboos operative within the language-community and specifically as being “isolated” into their historical contexts and the established cultural conditions. Euphemisms help us to understand how taboo topics are conceived in cultural groups and what beliefs are accepted, rejected, or implicitly legitimated. Indeed, it is the social and cultural nature of euphemisms that make them so changing over time and across societies Different cultural backgrounds have reflected various views and attitudes towards delicate and touching issues such as taboos. In this context Albanian and English communities as distinguishable culturally identified societies have in an original and unrepetitive way designated the linguistic material in the process of euphemistic expressions generation and embedment. This contrastive analysis aims at investigating the way superstitious and social taboos have given rise to several types of euphemisms in both languages, linguistic materials which should be explained based on social cultural and mental grounds and peoples’ general belief that there is a somehow supernatural and instinctive hidden link between the linguistic sign and the referent it represents. At this point, it seems that Albanian and English communities have not “suffered” from similar unexplained fears, doubts, insecurities, and irrationalities. It is more than evident that while consulting the euphemistic corpus of Albanian and English euphemisms, distinguishable differences can be spotted.

Euphemism in Saudi Slang: An Attitudinal Survey Study

This study explores some euphemistic expressions in common usage in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). It evaluates the degree to which Saudis are familiar with these expressions and how frequently they use them. The KSA covers a large area with a variety of dialects: thus, any socio-linguistic research which deals with slang should be meticulous. One enabling factor for this study is that Saudis are comparatively religious and avoidant of linguistic taboos, and consequently employ euphemisms often. Several research papers have tackled taboos in the KSA, but most of these have been contrastive to or comparative with British English or American English, while others have explored standard euphemistic expressions in classical Arabic. This study is unique in dealing with selective euphemisms used in Saudi slang through a survey devised to measure peoples' degree of knowledge as well as their usage of such expressions. After analyzing the results of the questionnaires, it is possible to derive several attitudinal results, the most important of which include the findings that present-day Saudis are generally well-acquainted with euphemism in their language and that they are inclined to employ it in everyday situations wherever appropriate. The population selected for this study is resident within the Al Riyadh region, or what can be called “Najid”. As the heart of the KSA, this region has Saudis from various regions and with a range of linguistic differences. However, it is recommended that similar studies be taken up in different parts of the KSA so as to pinpoint regional variations.

Tanzanian adolescents’ attitudes toward abortion: innovating video vignettes in survey research on health topics

BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to pilot an innovative cartoon video vignette survey methodology to learn about young people’s perspectives on abortion and sexual relationships in Tanzania. The Animating Children’s Views methodology used videos shown on tablets to engage young people in conversations. Such conversations are complicated because abortion is highly stigmatized, inaccessible, and illegal in Tanzania.MethodsThe cartoon video vignette methodology was conducted as a part of a quantitative survey using tablet computers. Hypothetical situations and euphemistic expressions were tested in order to engage adolescents on sensitive topics in low-risk ways. Qualitative interviews and focus groups validated and further explored the perspectives of the young respondents.ResultsResults indicate that 12–17 year-olds usually understand euphemistic expressions for abortion and are aware of social stigma and contradictory norms surrounding abortion from as young as age twelve. Despite the risks involved with abortion, this study finds adolescents sometimes view abortion as a reasonable solution to allow a girl to remain in school. Additional findings show that as adolescents wrestle with how to respond to a schoolgirl’s pregnancy, they are considering both the (un)affordability of healthcare services and also expectations for gender roles.ConclusionsDigital data collection, such as the Animating Children’s Views cartoon video vignettes used in this study, allows researchers to better understand girls’ and boys’ own perspectives on their experiences and reproductive health.

SOSİAL MEDİA REKLAMLARINDA EVFEMİZMLƏRİN FUNKSİONAL XÜSUSİYYƏTLƏRİ

The Functional Characteristics of Euphemisms in Sosial Media Advertisements Summary The study describes the functions of euphemistic units used in English commercial and social advertising. Euphemism in social media is used as a refinement of words in new forms of words, phrases and sentences of meanings that tend to be negative and harsh. Recently, the world has paid great consideration to the sosial media in many fields of life. Due to this consideration, the need for euphemistic expressions becomes one of the most important matters in many fields, especially in advertising. The author highlights that euphemisms are a big part of both social and commercial advertising, although they do carry different messages. When used in commercial ads, euphemisation is largely a tool allowing to describe a product vividly and catchy while at the same time observing etiquette rules. When used in social ads, on the other hand, euphemisms help unveil some problematic social issues of public importance and make people reflect on them. Key words: Social advertising, commercial advertising, euphemism, Mass Media, manipulation

SOSİAL MEDİA REKLAMLARINDA EVFEMİZMLƏRİN FUNKSİONAL XÜSUSİYYƏTLƏRİ

The Functional Characteristics of Euphemisms in Sosial Media Advertisements The study describes the functions of euphemistic units used in English commercial and social advertising. Euphemism in social media is used as a refinement of words in new forms of words, phrases and sentences of meanings that tend to be negative and harsh. Recently, the world has paid great consideration to the sosial media in many fields of life. Due to this consideration, the need for euphemistic expressions becomes one of the most important matters in many fields, especially in advertising. The author highlights that euphemisms are a big part of both social and commercial advertising, although they do carry different messages. When used in commercial ads, euphemisation is largely a tool allowing to describe a product vividly and catchy while at the same time observing etiquette rules. When used in social ads, on the other hand, euphemisms help unveil some problematic social issues of public importance and make people reflect on them. Key words: Social advertising, commercial advertising, euphemism, Mass Media, manipulation

Men and Women in Marriage and Beyond: An Analysis of Phrase Usage in Media Texts

The article is dedicated to the analysis of the usage of phraseological units related to marriage in contemporary media texts. The material was extracted from the Russian National Corpus. The aim of the research is to identify the standard and new meanings and functions of phraseological units in this group in relation to the value orientations of contemporary Russian language speakers. The relevance of the study is determined by its linguistic-pragmatic and axiological orientation. The conducted analysis indicates that family continues to be a significant value for representatives of Russian linguistic culture. Society’s attitude towards the topic of marriage is traced within the framework of phraseological blocks, which depict (1) the position of men and women before entering into marriage, (2) within the marital union (this taxon is represented by the largest number of phraseological units), (3) outside of marriage. At the same time, expressions related to civil marriage also emerge in frequent positions. It is shown that euphemistic expressions for infidelity are more often associated with male actors. Media texts demonstrate the development of views on traditional roles of men and women, as well as the presence of non-traditional forms of marriage. Phraseology related to marriage is actively used metaphorically in relation to various spheres of societal life: politics, economy, sports, etc.

Eufemisme Bahasa Indonesia di Kalangan Remaja di Desa Pentadio Timur Kecamatan Telaga Biru

This research was motivated by a title about the use of subtle language or choosing the right words when interacting. A person can be said to be ethical if he pays attention to polite and courteous language in his speech. The aim of this research is to describe or explain the form and function of Indonesian euphemisms among teenagers in East Pentadio village. The method used is a descriptive method with a qualitative research type. Based on the research results, it was found that the forms of euphemistic expressions used by young people in East Pentadio include abbreviations, foreign terms, metaphors and periphrases. Meanwhile, refined language functions to create a polite and comfortable atmosphere, disguise meaning, and reduce embarrassment. The habit of softening words has become part of society's culture. For this reason, as a cultured society, we are expected to be able to recognize the use of euphemisms. This serves to maintain mutual feelings and comfort in communicating with fellow speakers.

One Novel and Multiple Voices: Tackling Euphemism in Five Arabic Translations of Animal Farm

This study investigates the processes used by George Orwell in the formation of euphemism in Animal Farm and examines how far five Arabic translations of the novel succeed in conveying the euphemistic purposes of the Source text, and the euphemism formation procedures used in these translations. There are plenty of studies on euphemism and on the novel, but not a single study on translating euphemism in Animal Farm, hence this study. Twenty euphemistic expressions are classified based on Warren’s 1992 model and their five Arabic translations are analyzed. The study finds that 95% of the expressions are rendered literally and succeed in rendering the intended meaning, maintaining the same device. The study also finds that Orwell uses a device that is not categorized in Warren’s 1992 classification of euphemism innovation model and therefore it is defined and labelled as “Overstatement Paraphrasing”.

Euphemistic Headlines in Economic News Articles of German Newspaper ‘Die Tageszeitung’

Analysis of Euphemized Headlines on Economic Issues from the German Electronic Publication ‘Die Tageszeitung’. The study examines articles from the period 2022 to 2023, as this timeframe coincided with heightened attention from German media towards events related to the energy crisis and economic problems. The relevance of this research lies in the fact that economic issues often give rise to the emergence of new euphemisms and euphemistic expressions. Based on criteria such as denotation of undesired referents and improvement of referent characterization, euphemized article headlines were identified. A total of 44 euphemistic expressions were selected using a comprehensive sampling method. The authors provide detailed commentary on each expression from the perspective of hedging techniques. A classification of euphemistic expressions in German-language journalistic discourse is proposed, encompassing five thematic groups: povertywealth, strikes, work, price increases, and inflation. It is noted that the group of headlines addressing inflation and price increases (particularly in relation to gas and electricity) is most susceptible to euphemization. The authors conclude that German journalists employ various euphemistic techniques in their headlines, including loanwords, compound words, wordplay, and others.

EUFEMISME DALAM BERITA ELEKTRONIK TRIBUNJABAR.ID EDISI BULAN MEI 2021

The purpose of this study was to identify the form of euphemism, the function of euphemism, and the meaning of euphemism. The method used is descriptive qualitative research. The data in this study are in the form of words, phrases, sentences, or euphemistic expressions contained in the May 2021 edition of the electronic news Tribunjabar.id. In this study, there are 49 euphemistic data from the May 2021 edition of Tribunjabar.id as data from May 1 to May 31, 2021. In this study there are 3 data collection techniques, namely reading carefully and thoroughly every word, phrase, sentence, or expression of euphemism contained in the May 2021 edition of the Tribunjabar.id electronic news. The results of this study prove that there is the use of euphemisms in the Tribunjabar electronic news. en May 2021 issue, such as the use of words, phrases, meanings, and functions of euphemisms. (1) The euphemism of the use of words has 5 forms of data in the form of words and the euphemism of the use of words with affixes has 4 forms of data. (2) The euphemism of the use of the phrase has 4 forms. (3) The euphemism of the use of abbreviations in this section is clear and abbreviations are divided into two parts, namely initials and acronyms. The euphemism for the use of abbreviations contains 12 data, including 5 data in the form of initials. There are 7 data forms of acromine expression. (4) The euphemism of the use of loanwords contains 10 forms of data. (5) Euphemisms for the use of foreign terms in 6 forms of data. (6) Euphemisms using metaphors in 4 forms of data. (7) The euphemism of the use of 4 forms of data.

Exploring Euphemisms as Taboo Avoidance Strategies in the Mabia Languages

This article investigates the use of euphemisms in mitigating prohibited expressions in three Mabia (Gur) languages: Dagbani, Farefare (also known as Gurenε) and Kusaal. In the daily interactions of the Mabia people, they avoid using certain expressions, which are unmentionable in most contexts. These include the expressions for snakes and snakebite, sexual intercourse and genitalia, and death. The mention of the explicit terms for these expressions is face-threatening in Mabia society and can incur various forms of negative social consequences. Thus, instead of using these taboo expressions, speakers employ euphemisms as taboo-avoidance strategies; these euphemistic expressions oil social cohesion and indicate speakers’ communicative competence. The data used in this study were mainly gathered from primary sources. However, we augmented some of the primary data of Dagbani with some secondary sources drawn from N. A. Salifu's (2012) PhD thesis. We employ politeness theory and ethnography of communication as analytical lenses.

Cure for weak manhood: A persuasive euphemism strategies in selected Nigerian herbal medicines advertisements

The study examined herbal medicines advertising discourse as unique terms of depicting weak manhood euphemistically in order not to sound vulgar. Twelve advertisements (ads) served as the data of investigation. The data were taken from Facebook advertisements (both texts and images) and analyzed from the purviews of Barthesian denotative and connotative annotations, Halliday's transitivity concepts, and critical discourse analysis. This study aims to examine how weak manhood is portrayed, the ideology behind its portrayal, and the persuasive techniques used in the ads. The study revealed concealments in form of sexual satisfaction (e.g. next match, lasting gbola, bigga gbola, better something, leg shaking) and power/activeness (e.g. big carrot, strongest bamboo, Manpower, 45 mins, inner chamber, excellence in the other room, power to do more, and extra time/large). The study suggested that further researches to analyze from a multimodal perspective on how different visual and linguistic choices deployed in the herbal cure for weak manhood ads contribute to the euphemistic and persuasive import of taboo-related advertising. Again, however acceptable euphemistic expressions may be in certain context; they are considered too explicit, pinged with negative connotation and therefore create war among readers.

Peculiarities of One Narrative− on Holocaust, without Metaphors (based on The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne)

The purpose of our article is to show through John Boyne's well-known novel The Boy in the Striped Pajamas,2006, the lexical-semantic and also the stylistic devices chosen by the writer when he tells us about one of the greatest catastrophes of mankind - the Holocaust. We tried to highlight the writer's style: his choice gives the impression that this horrible event is beyond being described by metaphors. The narrative is straightforward, concise, and mostly devoid of direct emotional charge since the Holocaust itself has become a powerful metaphor for this dreadful humanitarian catastrophe. The story told by the writer is a story experienced through the eyes and mind of a nine-year-old boy, Bruno. Our research aims at revealing those linguistic units − "signifiers", with their specific syntactic, phonetic, lexical-semantic and also stylistic characteristics, which the writer uses for narration. Their functional load is diverse: sometimes, with this or that wisely chosen signifier, the writer shows the possibilities of phonetically different "reading" of this or that word. e.g. "Fury" instead of "Führer"; Sometimes with childish naivety and misunderstanding of the wrongly perceived name: "Out-with" instead of "Auschwitz". We also had a very interesting case when the writer sometimes uses euphemistic expressions to cover what he did not mean to say directly. Similar linguistic units abound throughout the novel, turning the entire text into a homogeneous linguistic fabric. It is also interesting to note the fact that each chapter is titled in a way that suits the nature of the narrative: they also suggest childish logic and thinking. By taking into consideration these lingusitic qualities of the novel, we presume that the article will be interesting for readers interested in psycho-linguistics as well.