Introduction Why a Government Uses Euphemisms or Why Would a Government Want to Use Euphemisms
Before dilating upon the literal meanings, it is fair to explain what euphemism actually is and how a government uses euphemisms or why would a government want to use euphemisms. It is a word, or a combination of words, or a phrase, or even sometimes a full sentence used to amuse or make something pleasant that is offensive or makes it positive that is negative. Even sometimes, bland and inoffensive words and phrases are used to replace the phrases or sentences that can instigate the people, or the audience to the point of violence. In ordinary language, straight or plain language sometimes seems quite rude and vulgar. Therefore, people who think that they should adhere to the manners of society, using euphemisms to seem polite to avoid inflaming the emotions of the listeners and audience, shows why would a government want to use euphemisms.
Nuances of Euphemism
Different dictionaries and books have defined the word euphemism differently, but the overall meanings are the same that is the gentle use of words to make something unpleasant pleasant. For example, Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines this term as “the substitution of an agreeable” for some offensive expression (“Euphemism”). It shows that it is the use of agreeable terms, or expressions, or sentences to replace offensive, or disagreeable terms. Before discussing its use in politics by the government and government agencies, it is fair to discuss its initial usage and its usage in society to know how a government uses euphemisms.
Euphemism and Everyday Conversation
Euphemism is used in everyday conversation in every society. There are hundreds of examples used in every culture, language, and society. For example, when somebody is going to die, it is not said that he is going to die but it is said that he is going to kick the bucket and when he is dead, it is said that he has passed away. These euphemisms are quite common in everyday terminology and conversation. It is because if the dead is referred to literally, not only it would sound vulgar, but also it would feel offensive to the relations of the dead person. Similarly, you will be thrashed if you call a person ‘O, a bald man!’ However, if you politely say that you are getting a ‘little thin at the top’ it would not only make him smile. These are linguistic niceties kept in mind when conversing in a society (“Euphemism”) and knowing why would a government want to use euphemisms.
Politics and Euphemism
As far as politics is concerned, it is almost similar to social connections. The governments have connections not only with the public perception but also with other governments which determine how a government uses euphemisms. This is called public relationships or international relations in which euphemisms are considered very important so that something could be said without snapping the relations with some country, or without inciting the public to violence. The use of euphemisms in politics is varied. It is sometimes for propaganda as is happening in the case of the war on terrorism, the war in Gaza, and even in Syria and Afghanistan. However, at other times it is used to defend a position, or repel the propaganda of the rivals such as Obama is defending himself through such euphemisms for military withdrawal from Afghanistan, or Israel is using to defend its position on the killing of civilians in Gaza invasion by saying that they are “human shields” and hence this killing is inevitable, showing how a government uses euphemisms.
Euphemism in Politics
Writing in her article “Euphemisms in Politics”, Monika Ibi states that it is the “nature of politicians to be considerate and tender of people’s feelings in order to win their favor” (Ibi) because, in the democratization of societies, they are ultimately responsible and accountable to the public, the major reason behind a government uses euphemisms. When the politicians want their electorates to favor them, they use euphemisms for development but they use different euphemisms for negotiations. For example, if their negotiations have failed, or the situation has become tense, they would never say that it is about to break down. They would say that it was a “fairly chilly” atmosphere in the room. It conveys the meaning that the relations are estranged between the warring parties (Ibi). In other words, it is called verbal camouflage in which a person hides what is original to show the same thing in his own words but in a different way, camouflaging it to decrease its intensity.
Political Euphemsims
Commenting on the importance of the use of euphemisms in the political circle, Karam states in his research that it is the “selective usage of words [that is] widespread as politicians strive to envelop the reality so as not to exacerbate the situation” (Karam 5-6). To save the situation from deteriorating further, they often resort to lies but in straight and plain language these lies become very harsh and vulgar. Therefore, they use euphemisms and it shows how a government uses euphemisms. Euphemisms help them in several ways such as cooling down the temper of the people, saving relations among the nations, hiding real facts behind the rhetoric, inciting violence in strong terms, and even saving the situation with soft words. He further adds that these are types of lies whose objective is to deceive (Karam 5) but he stopped short of saying it doublespeak, which is intended to deceive the public. This also shows how a government uses euphemisms.
Examples of Political Euphemisms
There are hundreds of examples of political euphemisms in which a politician not only saves his own stupidity but also saves his party and sometimes the government, the reason it seems a government uses euphemisms. Recently, Miss Clinton was caught when she said that she had had a close shave from a sniper fire during her arrival to Bosnia which was not correct. However, when confronted by journalists she saved her skin by saying that it was just “misspeaking” on her part (“The art of political euphemisms”).
Another famous example is the war vocabulary of recent years. The death of civilians is now not called the death of so many people but is connoted with just two words that it is collateral damage. Now acts of sabotage are not done by freedom fighters but by terrorists or militants. Now when some government is caught in sabotage in some other country, the blame does not rest on its agents, but on no state actors. It is also that political euphemisms change with time. A country could be an enemy in the past but could be a trade rival now or a military competitor, the reason a government uses euphemisms.
Conclusion
In short, this all depends on the objective, the policy, the situation, and above all the overall demeanor of the person even if he is in a government government uses euphemisms. It is also that sometimes even abbreviations could be used to replace euphemisms such as WMD, MAD for weapons of mass destruction and mutually assured destruction and so on, as it happened in the case of the US invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan that war on terrorism and WMB proved hoaxes later on. It is clear from this that sometimes euphemisms change their meanings and even the very language based on the situation, circumstances, and who speaks. Here, who means the position of the person. For example, if Obama speaks about something, the press would immediately pick up his words and these words would be popular within no time. However, if the same is said by some minnow politician of the world, he might have to spend years explaining what he meant by it and what the world has understood, or even not understood at all.
Therefore, it is proved that the political world is also like the world of social connections, relations, and behavior. A politician has to be very careful in his choice of words when speaking openly to the public or the media. If he does not mince his words before speaking and does not choose the right euphemism, he could be in hot water like Miss Clinton including his/her government, the reason a government uses euphemisms.
Works Cited
- “Euphemism.” Merriam-Webster Online. N.d. www.merriam-webster.com. Accessed 08 Aug. 2014.
- “Euphemism.” Literary Devices. 2010. http://literarydevices.net/euphemism/ Accessed 08 Aug. 2014.
- Ibi, Monika. “Euphemism in Politics.” n.d. Web. http://www.ibi-academia.com/euphemism-in-politics/ Accessed 08 Aug. 2014.
- Karam, Savo. “Truths and Euphemisms: How Euphemisms are Used in The Political Arena.” The South Asian Journal of English Language Studies 17.1 (n.d.): 5-17.
- “The Art of Political Euphemisms.” 05 Aug. 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_7541000/7541197.stm>. Accessed 08 Aug. 2014.
Relevant Questions About Government Uses Euphemisms
- How does the way government uses euphemisms impact public perception and understanding of policies or actions, and what are some notable historical examples where such language has been used to obscure the true nature of government activities?
- In what ways does the use of euphemisms in government discourse serve as a means for softening or sanitizing potentially controversial or morally problematic decisions and actions? What ethical considerations should be taken into account when analyzing how government uses euphemisms?
- How can a critical examination of how government uses euphemisms enhance transparency and accountability in political discourse, and what role does the media play in either challenging or perpetuating these linguistic choices?