8 Ways We Use Euphemisms to Talk About the Unspeakable
According to a recent survey by Preply.com, 94% of Americans surveyed use euphemisms, mostly to describe bodily functions or sex politely. We don’t say, “I just farted,” we say, “I just let the gas go.” (I don’t, but some do. Maybe your grandmother?)
This got me thinking about the other categories of phrases we use to define things we don’t really want to say directly – what they mean in terms of the words they replace, and why we feel the need to replace those particular words in speech. first place.
(For fun, I’ve also included a few “dysphemisms,” which is a pejorative or obnoxious term we use to replace neutral ones.)