Question

EXERCISE SC Beware the Euphemism is a list of paired terms or phrases. For each, briefly explain how the euphe- dulls or deflects the meaning of the term, and discuss why you think such eu- mism phemistic language replaced the original term. EUPHEMISM 1. offshore 2. revenue enhancement 3. tax relief 4. collateral damage 5. "somatic cell nuclear transfer"cloning 6. friendly fire 7. laugh lines I TERM / foreign taxes /tax cuts / civilian losses /shot by a fellow soldier /face wrinkles /torture /waterboarding 8. information extraction 9. enhanced interrogation 10. Healthy Forests Restoration Act timber industry legislation allowing forest exploitation

Answer 1

1 -- foreign offshore a The term foreign usually relates to someone or something from a different area overseas.

According to me only -

The term foreign has a uncertain or unknown feel to it, whereas off shore, while also meaning far way, sounds closer and safer.

2- Taxes is a word that everyone dreads once a year, so it already has a bad association to it. Whereas the words “revenue enhancement” sounds like you might actually get something back out of it because of the positive word use.
3. Tax relief also has positive word use , while tax cut has a more negative sound to it because of “cut”.
4. Collateral damage sounds really bad because of the word “damage” which is never a good thing. Civilian losses on the other hand sounds less harsh and not as sever.
5. “Somatic cell nuclear transfer” sounds like a very technical and complicated procedure. Cloning, on the other hand, is a more common and basic word.
6. Friendly fire sounds like more of an accident, whereas “shot by a fellow soldier” seems like the soldier was shoot on purpose.
7. The word “wrinkles” is a word that all women dread to hear, “laugh lines” on the other hand has a more feminine and less harsh feel to it.
8. The word torture is automatically associated with pain, but “information extraction” does not make me think of suffering.
9. “Enhanced interrogation” sounds bad because of the word “enhanced” makes the mind wonder what it means. Waterboarding on the other hand is a more vague term, and if you don’t know torture, you will probably not even know what it means.
10. ”Healthy Forest Restoration Act” sounds way more professional, helpful, and is also easier to say than” timber industry legislation allowing forest exploration”.