Some time ago, I wrote about words, their origins and who gets to say when a word is a word and what it means. Seems to me, each of us ought to have the right to call anything by any name WE want to. If others want to know what we're talking about, they'll just have to ask us.
Then there are euphemisms. Sometimes, to soften the impact of some truthful statement which may be unpleasant, politically incorrect, insensitive or even vulgar, we subsitute words which are more sensitive and plentiful because we are taking a longer route around the truth. It really does no good because the brains of the recipients translate the euphemism using the more direct words. Euphemisms serve only to make the user more comfortable in tranferring some sensitive information. I suppose it is a cousin to a white lie ( not that there is anything wrong with a black lie).
A case in point is the current race to eliminate some very useful and easy to say and understand expressions. One is "illegal immigrant". I like it. It's short, has an easy definition, that is, it is self explanatory. I'm going to continue to use it. If someone doesn't know what it means, I'll explain it to them. Another example has gone through so many iterations that I'm not sure which is now in vogue. There was the infamous "N" word (a euphemism), another "N" word, Negro, then "black", "people of color", sometimes but rarely, "non-whites" and then "Afro-Americans" which was often incorrect since the ancestry often was from some non-African country. Are you beginning to see what I mean?
Why don't we all grow up? Let's always use the fewest words possible, even if some are colloquial, colorful or imply a nuance which might otherwise require a small volume of its own, and agree to not be offended. In return, those who the words could offend but agree to not be offended, would be permitted to use offensive words about others while expecting them to not be offended. After all, the offender cannot offend you unless you accept the offense. A peace of sorts. Life would be much easier and more fun.
Then there are euphemisms. Sometimes, to soften the impact of some truthful statement which may be unpleasant, politically incorrect, insensitive or even vulgar, we subsitute words which are more sensitive and plentiful because we are taking a longer route around the truth. It really does no good because the brains of the recipients translate the euphemism using the more direct words. Euphemisms serve only to make the user more comfortable in tranferring some sensitive information. I suppose it is a cousin to a white lie ( not that there is anything wrong with a black lie).
A case in point is the current race to eliminate some very useful and easy to say and understand expressions. One is "illegal immigrant". I like it. It's short, has an easy definition, that is, it is self explanatory. I'm going to continue to use it. If someone doesn't know what it means, I'll explain it to them. Another example has gone through so many iterations that I'm not sure which is now in vogue. There was the infamous "N" word (a euphemism), another "N" word, Negro, then "black", "people of color", sometimes but rarely, "non-whites" and then "Afro-Americans" which was often incorrect since the ancestry often was from some non-African country. Are you beginning to see what I mean?
Why don't we all grow up? Let's always use the fewest words possible, even if some are colloquial, colorful or imply a nuance which might otherwise require a small volume of its own, and agree to not be offended. In return, those who the words could offend but agree to not be offended, would be permitted to use offensive words about others while expecting them to not be offended. After all, the offender cannot offend you unless you accept the offense. A peace of sorts. Life would be much easier and more fun.
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