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billybrobby
Joined: 09 Dec 2004
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 Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 6:56 am Post subject: The Euphemism Treadmill |
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I thought this was an interesting concept. From Wikipedia:
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Euphemisms often evolve over time into taboo words themselves, through a process described by W.V.O. Quine, and more recently dubbed 'the euphemism treadmill' by Steven Pinker. (cf. Gresham's Law in economics). This is the well-known linguistic process known as pejoration.
Words originally intended as euphemisms may lose their euphemistic value, acquiring the negative connotations of their referents. In some cases, they may be used mockingly and become dysphemisms.
For example, the term �concentration camp,� to describe camps used to house civilian prisoners, was used by the British during the Second Boer War, primarily because it sounded bland and inoffensive. However, after the Third Reich used the expression to describe its death camps, the term gained enormous negative connotation. Since then, new terms have been invented as euphemisms for them, such as internment camps, resettlement camps, etc.
Also, in some versions of English, toilet room, itself a euphemism, was replaced with bathroom and water closet, which were replaced (respectively) with restroom and W.C. These are also examples of euphemisms which are geographically concentrated: the term "restroom" is rarely used outside of the U.S.A. and "W.C.", where before it was quite popular in Britain is passing out of favour and becoming more popular in France.
Connotations easily change over time. Idiot, imbecile, and moron were once neutral terms for a person of toddler, preschool, and primary school mental ages, respectively.[citation needed] As with Gresham's law, negative connotations tend to crowd out neutral ones, so the word mentally retarded was pressed into service to replace them.[2] Now that too is considered rude, used commonly as an insult of a person, thing, or idea. As a result, new terms like developmentally disabled, mentally challenged and special have replaced retarded. A similar progression occurred with
lame → crippled → handicapped → disabled → differently abled
although in that case the meaning has also broadened (and hence has been narrowed with adjectives, which themselves have been euphemised); a dyslexic or colorblind person would not be termed crippled. In the early 1960s, Bill Veeck, who was missing part of a leg, argued against the then-favored euphemism "handicapped", saying he preferred "crippled" because it was merely descriptive and did not carry connotations of limiting one's capability the way "handicapped" (and all of its subsequent euphemisms) seemed to do.
George Carlin gave a famous monologue of how he thought euphemisms can undermine appropriate attitudes towards serious issues such as the evolving terms describing the medical problem of the cumulative mental trauma of soldiers in high stress situations:[3]
Shell shock (World War I) → battle fatigue (World War II)→ Operational exhaustion (Korean War) → Post-traumatic stress disorder (Vietnam War)
He contended that, as the name of the condition became more complicated and seemingly arcane, sufferers of this condition have been taken less seriously as people with a serious illness, and were given poorer treatment as a result. He also contended that Vietnam veterans would have received the proper care and attention they needed were the condition still called Shell Shock. In the same routine, he echoed Bill Veeck's opinion that "crippled" was a perfectly valid term (and noted that early English translations of the Bible seemed to have no qualms about saying that Jesus "healed the cripples").
A complementary "dysphemism treadmill" exists, but is more rarely observed. One modern example is the word "sucks". "That sucks" began as American slang for "that is very unpleasant", and is shorthand for "that sucks cock", referring to fellatio[citation needed]; along with the exactly synonymous phrase "that blows", it developed over the late-20th century from being an extremely vulgar phrase to near-acceptability. Likewise, scumbag, which was originally a reference to a used condom, now is a fairly mild epithet.[4] |
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Hopelessly Human
Joined: 03 Oct 2006
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| Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 8:09 am Post subject: Re: The Euphemism Treadmill |
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| billybrobby wrote: |
I thought this was an interesting concept. From Wikipedia:
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| Likewise, scumbag, which was originally a reference to a used condom, now is a fairly mild epithet.[4] |
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Scumbag must be really fucking mild now, because Dave's didn't even filter it. I guess that one slipped by. It'll probably be added to the list soon. |
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soju pizza
Joined: 21 Feb 2007
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| Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 8:39 am Post subject: |
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| "Douchebag" however remains highly effective and unfiltered. |
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Draz
Joined: 27 Jun 2007
Location: Land of Morning Clam
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| Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 4:23 pm Post subject: Re: The Euphemism Treadmill |
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| billybrobby wrote: |
Also, in some versions of English, toilet room, itself a euphemism |
A euphemism for what? Seems like a straightforward description.
Special has already acquired the negative connotation of retarded. Is the treadmill speeding up? |
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peppermint
Joined: 13 May 2003
Location: traversing the minefields of caddishness.
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| Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 4:52 pm Post subject: |
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| soju pizza wrote: |
| "Douchebag" however remains highly effective and unfiltered. |
if you want to sound like you're fourteen, I suppose it is very effective |
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billybrobby
Joined: 09 Dec 2004
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| Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 6:59 pm Post subject: Re: The Euphemism Treadmill |
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| Draz wrote: |
| billybrobby wrote: |
Also, in some versions of English, toilet room, itself a euphemism |
A euphemism for what? Seems like a straightforward description.
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Keep in mind the etymology. From wikipedia:
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| The word "toilet" came to be used in English along with other French fashions (first noted 1681).[citation needed] It originally referred to the whole complex of operations of hairdressing and body care that centered at a dressing table covered to the floor with cloth (toile) and lace, on which stood a mirror, which might also be draped in lace: the ensemble was a toilette...Through the 18th century, everywhere in the English-speaking world, a toilet remained a lady's draped dressing-table. The word was adapted as a genteel euphemism for the room and the object as we know them now, perhaps following the French usage cabinet de toilette... |
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Alyallen
Joined: 29 Mar 2004
Location: The 4th Greatest Place on Earth = Jeonju!!!
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| Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 7:05 pm Post subject: |
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| peppermint wrote: |
| soju pizza wrote: |
| "Douchebag" however remains highly effective and unfiltered. |
if you want to sound like you're fourteen, I suppose it is very effective |
It is effective period. Nothing else seems to show the disdain you have for the person you used 'douchebag' to describe. Plus it's not filtered  |
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Are they the lemmings
Joined: 15 Feb 2007
Location: Not here anymore. JongnoGuru was the only thing that kept me here.
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| Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 8:46 pm Post subject: Re: The Euphemism Treadmill |
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| Hopelessly Human wrote: |
| billybrobby wrote: |
I thought this was an interesting concept. From Wikipedia:
| Quote: |
| Likewise, scumbag, which was originally a reference to a used condom, now is a fairly mild epithet.[4] |
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Scumbag must be really *beep* mild now, because Dave's didn't even filter it. I guess that one slipped by. It'll probably be added to the list soon. |
I'll have you know that "scumbag" is the honoured name of an esteemed institution!
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