Euphemisms by John Ayto

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Euphemisms by John Ayto

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Summary

Showing how the 1990s is the euphemistic society, this book contains contemporary and historical euphemisms. Euphemism is the art of avoiding giving offence. Using both general commentary and dictionary-style entries, this book covers specific meanings and usages as well as general contexts.

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Euphemisms by John Ayto

Euphemism is the art of avoiding giving offence. It is possible to minimize the obvious by calling someone cuddly or Junoesque when they are actually fat; to disguise the actual truth, extermination becomes the less unpleasant ethnic-cleansing; and large-scale redundancies become restructuring. John Ayto's wide-ranging study shows how the apparently laudable aim of avoiding offence can be used often disturbingly for political, economic, business or propaganda purposes. Using both general commentary and dictionary-style entries, Ayto covers specific meanings and usages, as well as general contexts. Spotlighting euphemisms from this and earlier centuries, Ayto explains the huge range of euphemisms used through the ages, and argues that today is indeed the euphemistic society. John Ayto is the author of the Longman Register of New Words, the Oxford Dictionary of Modern Slang and the Bloomsbury Dictionary of Word Origins.

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SKU Unavailable
ISBN 13 9780747518044
ISBN 10 0747518041
Title Euphemisms
Author John Ayto
Condition Unavailable
Binding Type Paperback
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Year published 1994-08-18
Number of pages 352
Cover note Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
Note Unavailable