Euphemisms
what is it?
An indirect expression which replaces a phrase or word otherwise considered rude, harsh, or inappropriate.
when to use
When the cost of hurting someone (or backlash) is higher than the cost of saying a direct statement.
Visual example
Visual example
A visual example for a euphemism would be this political cartoon about prisoner mistreatment at guantanamo bay. Here the guard is replacing the strong, negative word “drowning” for a less offensive, gentler word like “just drinking”. Regardless of the truth this effect emphasises the american man’s feelings towards his actions and downplays what's actually happening.
written example
“The Squealer”, a character in George Orwell’s “Animal Farm”, uses euphemisms to help “the pigs” achieve their political ends. To announce the reduction of food to the animals of the farm, Orwell quotes him saying:
“For the time being,” he explains, “it had been found necessary to make a readjustment of rations.”
From http://literarydevices.net/euphemism/
LITERAL written ANALYSIS
The word reduced is replaced with readjusted because readjusted has a better connotation than reduced. It makes it sound like it was changed instead of reduced. It makes the harsh reality sound better.
works cited
Chappatte. Hunger Strike in Guantánamo. Digital image. Globe Cartoon. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Nov. 2016.
Literary Devices. "Euphemism - Examples and Definition of Euphemism." Literary Devices. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Nov. 2016.