Euphemisms Hide the Truth

Examples and Observations • "Sometimes during my life toilet paper became bathroom tissue. . . . Sneakers became running shoes. False teeth became dental appliances. Medicine became medication. Information became directory assistance. The dump became the landfill. Car crashes became automobile accidents. Partly cloudy became partly sunny. Motels became motor lodges. House trailers became mobile homes. Used cars became previously owned transportation. Room service became guest room dining. Constipation became occasional irregularity. . . . The CIA doesn't kill anybody anymore. They neutralize people. Or they depopulate the area. The government doesn't lie. It engages in misinformation." (George Carlin, "Euphemisms." Parental Advisory: Explicit Lyrics, 1990) • "When a company is 'levering up,' it often means, in regular language, that it is spending money it doesn't have. When it is 'right-sizing' or finding 'synergies,' it may well be firing people. When it 'manages stakeholders,' it could be lobbying or bribing. When you dial into 'customer care,' they care very little. But when they call you, even at dinnertime, then it's a 'courtesy call.'" (A. Giridharadas, "Language as a Blunt Tool of the Digital Age." The New York Times, Jan. 17, 2010)

Скриншот с примерами эвфемизмов и корпоративного жаргона: грубые или неприятные вещи переименовывают в более мягкие формулировки. Цитата Джорджа Карлина высмеивает язык, который скрывает смерть, ложь и неприятную реальность, а второй пример показывает, как компании маскируют долги, увольнения и навязчивые звонки деловыми терминами. Такой мем используют как саркастическую реакцию на лицемерие, бюрократию и попытки приукрасить плохие новости.

• @jemalloc / 1338 2023-10-22