EUPHEMISM
Definition: using nicer or vague language instead of harsher words
Hint: Sugarcoating; to ease the blow of bad news.
Simple Examples:
Instead of saying "Grandpa is dead", you use a euphemism to ease the blow, so as to, hopefully, not to upset people quite as much.
Instead of saying “torture”, the phrase “enhanced interrogation techniques” is used to confuse the meaning.
Sophisticated Example:
(from page 235 of 1984 by George Orwell)
Unperson, and the explanation that follows, does not give you a 100% clear idea of what exactly happened to Syme. But we can infer, from the surrounding text, that he was probably killed in a most horrible way. The term unperson is a euphemism for the fact that, and way in which, Syme will be killed.
Hint: Sugarcoating; to ease the blow of bad news.
Simple Examples:
- "Grandpa has gone on to a better place."
Instead of saying "Grandpa is dead", you use a euphemism to ease the blow, so as to, hopefully, not to upset people quite as much.
- “The CIA used enhanced interrogation techniques on the terrorist suspect.”
Instead of saying “torture”, the phrase “enhanced interrogation techniques” is used to confuse the meaning.
Sophisticated Example:
- "But Syme was not only dead, he was abolished, an unperson. Any identifiable reference to him would have been mortally dangerous..."
(from page 235 of 1984 by George Orwell)
Unperson, and the explanation that follows, does not give you a 100% clear idea of what exactly happened to Syme. But we can infer, from the surrounding text, that he was probably killed in a most horrible way. The term unperson is a euphemism for the fact that, and way in which, Syme will be killed.