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A Dictionary of Euphemisms & other Doubletalk | |
Publisher: Crown
Author: Hugh Rawson
US$30.00 (approx)
ISBN 0-517-545187
Anyone who listens to politicians speak, or reads a press release, quickly gets used to euphemisms. 'Euphemism' comes from two Greek words meaning 'sounding good'; and a euphemism is a word which is used when the 'real' word is too offensive, too scary, or sometimes just too accurate. When we hear of 'bodies' instead of corpses, or if people 'make love' instead of having sex or when we talk of 'Old Nick' instead of saying the name of the Devil, euphemisms are at work. The author, a former journalist, takes us on a trip through euphemisms past and present, and does so with a sense of humour (e.g. "'Bonding' is a phrase used by behavioural psychologists to squeeze the love out of love')and an eye for detail which makes this book both fascinating and educational.
The book starts with an eleven-page introduction explaining what euphemisms are and why they are used, and then goes immediately into a 300-page alphabetical listing, explaining - for example - how the word 'adult' has come to sometimes mean 'pornographic'. In fact, because a number of euphemisms deal with bodily functions including sex, and because the author does not use many euphemisms in his own writing, readers should be prepared to find some coarse language - and an excellent dirty joke by Shakespeare (see 'yard'). The writer also has a lot of fun with the military - e.g. 'advancing to the rear' for retreating, and politicians, who, he says have turned the use of the word 'negative' into an art form; a comment which is certainly true in these days of negative economic growth. There are also a few really scary entries, such as the medical euphemisms for letting a patient die, and the book explains why, if the local nuclear power plant has a 'core re-arrangement' it's probably too late to run for your life. There are no illustrations, and the euphemisms are grouped strictly alphabetically, though students might prefer that they were divided into current euphemisms and those no longer in use.
Who is this book for? Anyone who has not understood why one goes to the little boy's room to see a man about a dog will definitely benefit from this book. The English are fond of euphemisms, and mix them with jokes and puns. I remember a student telling me 'I understood every word in that sentence, and none of the meaning.' If you have ever had that feeling, this book can help. Because it's so well-written, teachers will enjoy this book as much as advanced students.
Verdict: Educational and fun to read
Assessment 9/10