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Euphemisms in your language | ||
Tags: Euphemisms | Vocabulary learning | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : Philological Room |  | |
| administrator Hexaglot Forum Admin Switzerland FXcuisine.com Joined 7376 days ago 3094 posts - 2987 votes  12 sounds Speaks: French*, EnglishC2, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian Personal Language Map | Message 1 of 53 04 August 2005 at 1:00am | IP Logged | ||
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I wonder if French is the only language that knows heavy euphemisms for difficult topics?
For example, French people do not widely use un vieux when referring to an old person but would rather use the softer une personne âgée or un aîné. One of the most ubiquitous is the word for a homeless person (which itself is a euphemism), in France the only expression you are now allowed to use is SDF (Sans Domicile Fixe, Without Fix Domicile). In the past we used the simple clochard (hobo/wino). The Russians have a similar acronym БОМЖ (BOMZH, without fixed place of living). I have a great recording called Euphemisms by American comic artists George Carlin where he reviews some popular American euphemisms (shell-shocked/battle fatigue/post traumatic stress disorder, senior citizen, etc... Do you have such official euphemisms in your language? I mean euphemisms that you feel constrained to use by fear of passing for one thing or another. For instance in America I understand it would not be seen as positive to use words such as a wino instead of a homeless person or in France saying un clochard. Please let us not discuss whether it is 'right' or 'wrong' morally or politically to use one word or another but rather just review the variety of such expressions in a neutral fashion. Edited by administrator on 04 August 2005 at 1:02am 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| jradetzky Triglot Senior Member United Kingdom geocities.com/jradet Joined 7207 days ago 521 posts - 485 votes 1 sounds Speaks: Spanish*, EnglishC2, GermanB1 | Message 2 of 53 04 August 2005 at 7:32am | IP Logged | ||
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In Mexico new, politically correct terms have been coined over the last 5 years:
"adulto en plenitud" = old person "persona con capacidades diferentes" = disabled person 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| administrator Hexaglot Forum Admin Switzerland FXcuisine.com Joined 7376 days ago 3094 posts - 2987 votes 12 sounds Speaks: French*, EnglishC2, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian Personal Language Map | Message 3 of 53 04 August 2005 at 9:59am | IP Logged | ||
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For abortions, in France the term 'IVG' (Interruption volontaire de Grossesse or Voluntary Interruption of Pregnancy) is now official.
For suicide, the French use 'TS' (Tentative de Suicide or Suicide Attempt) although you still hear both words. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| victor Tetraglot Moderator United States Joined 7318 days ago 1098 posts - 1056 votes 6 sounds Speaks: Cantonese*, English, FrenchC1, Mandarin Studies: Spanish Personal Language Map | Message 4 of 53 04 August 2005 at 4:14pm | IP Logged | ||
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The "impaired" phrases are preferred since the last decade:
visually impaired - blind or almost blind hearing impaired - deaf Visible minority - non-white I'll write more if I think of them. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| DonbertK Diglot Newbie United States Joined 7218 days ago 23 posts - 24 votes Speaks: English*, Spanish Studies: Japanese | Message 5 of 53 04 August 2005 at 5:19pm | IP Logged | ||
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African-American - black person
Caucasian - white person Those are mainly used in formal context. You'd be fine using "black" or "white" in normal conversation. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Giordano Bilingual Triglot Senior Member Canada Joined 7174 days ago 213 posts - 218 votes 3 sounds Speaks: English*, Italian*, French Studies: Cantonese, Greek | Message 6 of 53 04 August 2005 at 9:20pm | IP Logged | ||
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I would like to refer you to this link-
http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2005/08/04/Jean-appo inted-050804.html about our new Governor General (representative of the Queen of Canada), who is a black francophone woman (who, by the way, is "fluent in five languages: French, English, Spanish, Italian and Haitian Creole"). Note the use of "black", which is still common is Canada, and most of the World (for example, un noir, un nero...) Edited by Giordano on 04 August 2005 at 9:23pm 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| administrator Hexaglot Forum Admin Switzerland FXcuisine.com Joined 7376 days ago 3094 posts - 2987 votes 12 sounds Speaks: French*, EnglishC2, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian Personal Language Map | Message 7 of 53 05 August 2005 at 3:09am | IP Logged | ||
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The French have the royal hôtesse de caisse (cashier's hostess?) for the person who makes you pay the items you bought in a supermarket.
Also, illegal immigrants are called sans-papiers (without "papers"). I wonder if one day we will see people who visit supermarkets and do not wish to pay claim the status of sans-tickets (without receipts). Edited by administrator on 05 August 2005 at 3:17am 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Andy E Triglot Senior Member United Kingdom Joined 7103 days ago 1651 posts - 1939 votes Speaks: English*, Spanish, French | Message 8 of 53 05 August 2005 at 3:55am | IP Logged | ||
:¬) I've also come across the term "sans-abri" for homeless people in French. Andy. 1 person has voted this message useful |
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