Monday, April 23, 2007

Euphemism

EUPHEMISM, n. In rhetoric, a figure by which the severe asperity of truth is mitigated by the use of a softer expression than the facts would warrant- as, to call Mr. Charles Croker ninety-nine kinds of a knave.

2007 Update: A kitten of a simile with a man's liver on its breath.

Farewell, Boris. I bet it feels like coming home.


By the way, all. For an interesting counter-discussion, try back here.

35 comments:

Minka said...

euphemism, women´s way of speech

Minka said...

euphemism, supressed idiom with a kick!

Quilly: Happy Birthday. I brought you an apple! *grins*

Anonymous said...

EUPHEMISM, n. 39 - as applied to the claimed age of celebrants who then proceed to entertain you with their first-person account of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

Happy Birthday, Quilly! And no, you're not that old. I, on the other hand ... But then, of course. Amoebae are immortal. (Not.)

TLP said...

Euphemism: Substitution. Also see hey, you, Finnism, go in for Fulker.

TLP said...

Oops! Forgot to say Happy Birthday Quilly! And many more.

Mutha said...

Euphemism: weapon of that elite group who are pro-vague.

Anonymous said...

Euphemism --

[from the teacher's dictionary]
1.) Janie child is very social.
(Janie never shuts up.)
2.) Johnny sometimes plays too rough.
(Johnny is a bully.)
3.) Julie is a thinker.
(Julie daydreams.)
4.) Jason struggles with time restrictions.
(Jason plays and doesn't complete his assignments.)

And one more small thing -- OC is brilliant and charming and funny. I love him to distraction (in case you didn't know), but he doesn't always pay attention really well. His euphemism for his inattentiveness is the "absent minded Professor syndrome." So, that should explain his announcement today, when my birthday is tomorrow!

The Old Mule said...

euphemism: to make sweet a sour soup.

mireille said...

*mrow* And Happy Birthday, Quilldancer! xoxo

Minka said...

In that case, Quilly can I have my premature apple back?

LOL

Anonymous said...

well, my version of O'C's euphemistic definition: Twenty-nineteen. ...or anything-someteen. (you get the idea)

so Happy Happy twenty/thirty/forty-mmmmmmteenth Quilly (or however young you may be) ~ today, tomorrow, and/or whenever your birthday really is! ; )

Doug The Una said...

Minka, every word is a euphemism for a kick.

Amoeba, I promise to admit to 40 before the end of the year. My father, however, says he's 39. By the way, that comment of Quilly's below better not be right.

TLP, don't think I don't know what finnism means! This is a family site! Finnism?

Hardly elite, Mutha, but very funny definition.

From my report card: Quilldancer is an imaginative playmate (Quilly is an imp.) I'm waiting for confirmation before changing today's post.

Mule, a spoonful of sugar helps the tragedy go down.

Meow and Zockso, Mireille.

Minka, mash it up good.

Neva, I like twenty-nineteen.

Ariel the Thief said...

I'm SO happy to see you! your new wife is BEAUTIFUL!

Quilly, the strawberry jelly bagel was very nice, and if you doesn't have a birthday today, can I please eat your birthday cake, too?

Anonymous said...

OK, OK, Quilly's bd is tomorrow, not today. I had it wrong on my calendar. I'm scr... no, wait, I need a euphemism here ... organizationally challenged. There. That'll do. Besides. I could post today. I might not be able to post tomorrow. Since I'll be in the throes of moving to Hawai'i.

Anonymous said...

Minka -- here is your apple, minus one bite.

OC -- thank you for redeeming my veracity.

Ariel -- just leave me one piece.

Doug -- neener, neener, neener

euphemism Puppy's description of my age. (Much kinder then the student who exclaimed, "You're older then my grandma!")

G said...

You're not getting older, you're getting better! Ah euphemisms - such a polite way to tell a bold faces lie!

Not my wishes to you Quilly! Indeed Happy Birthday and continue getting better, well not that you need to...I'll just go now. Happy prelated birthday!

G said...

or a bold faced lie - whichever you prefer.

G said...

Just leaving a comment, that's all.

TLP said...

So, it's a very merry unbirthday to Quilly.

We're all so sorry.
(translation: suck it up.

Doug The Una said...

Yes, exactly, Ariel. AND your daughter is JUST beautiful! Does she like hay?

Amoeba, you're a lucky man to survive this.

G, your really are very imaginative with your typing.

That's right TLP. This is her TLP day. (Good advice.)

Anonymous said...

Euphemism: referring to a girly-man as "testorone challenged"; a less than attractive woman as "charismatic"; and/or our current president as "leader".

sorry ~ i started laughing at my NBFF's comments -- not to mention TLP's -- and my mind went "blank". or, as i prefer to call it...blank. (what's the euphemism for having nothing to say? i don't know because i rarely suffer from that "problem")

Ariel the Thief said...

Doug, I am AWFULLY sorry but I cannot let her play with a cowboy now that she is engaged with a real insurance salesman, you really smell very good, though!

TLP said...

Doug really has a handsome face, doesn't he? He's so smart too.

Doug The Una said...

Neva, I don't think your mind is blank so much as monochromatic.

Thank you, Ariel. You don't look a day over 35.

Thanks, TLP. You are so unusually pertinent.

Anonymous said...

TLP: hah!

Doug: wonder how Quilly feels now that she's been "replaced" in that "coveted" spot at the bottom of your post by a dead Russian ~ may he rest in peace, alongside Natasha... (oops! wrong Boris)

ps ~ monochromatic? heh. i suppose that's better than "a unique mélange of conceptual flavors" (i.e., "my brain in a blender")

Kyahgirl said...

great word Doug and I loved the discussion over at actonbell's place.

Waking Ambrose has an irresistable allure (sucks me in like a black hole) and I love to come and read the insightful and witty (cutting and sarcastic) comments of your many brilliant and interesting (uh..brilliant and interesting) commenters!

Of course, Ariel's daughter is busy munching on hay in the corner and the amoeba is choking down a crow but that doesn't detract from the ambiance :-)

TLP said...

Doug, you are so witty today! (Some curmudgeons mistake sarcasm for insight.)

Anonymous said...

Puppy -- I feel with my fingers. Just like I did before I was replaced by the dead Russian.

Euphenisms -- the sage advice of Euphie (Euphegenia) Doubtfire.

Doug The Una said...

Neva, your brain on dacquiri?

Laura, it's always a pleasure when you visit (and pretend you have nothing unkind to say.)

TLP, insight is an awfully kind name for obsession.

Ha, Actonbell, what is vegetarian leather? When I posted this morning I remembered your dysphemism post. Later I decided to find it and add a link. We can call that post-plagiarism or A comfortable effort at quickness depending on which of our sites you happen to be on.

Quilly, I think you're channeling punnybrose. White Russian?

Anonymous said...

Language designed to promote positive, inclusive social interaction by performing a reconstructive cosmetic procedure on perceived realities that are determined to be aesthetically challenged.

Doug The Una said...

Dr. Strator, so an Executive Summary?

Morning, A-bell! I think you have interpereted the job assessment correctly, although if that phrase describes a male employee, it's a euphemism for "contact the authorities to check under his porch."

Ariel the Thief said...

it wasn't until today I learnt what do you meant Boris. then I met a sweet, little old man at the post office, he was standing in the line behind me and let me know the English is the savage of Europe, that Boris would have looked very good dressed up as czar, and the best looking czar ever was II. Katalin. we were laughing so much.

Doug The Una said...

Oh, that's funny Ariel. We like Boris here because he liked red, white and blue flags.

I Dive At Night said...

Euphemism: The sect of followers devoted to Euphem, an ancient scholar with other-worldly abilities to understate things. The basis of the belief is that no matter how bad things seem, you can always rename your problems to something nicer.

Doug The Una said...

Morgan, didn't they also invent the gastrogenetic paperweight?