A course of modern english lexicology

8. PERIPHRASIS

Periphrasis, or circumlocution, is a device which both names and describes. The name of a person or thing is substituted by a descriptive phrase. This is the way of speaking around a topic, and not stating it directly. Periphrasis may be trite or original.

Periphrasis trite: man-in-the street, organs of vision original: The little boy was deprived of what can never be replaced (Charles Dickens).

Periphrasis may be logical or figurative. Logical periphrasis is based on some inherent or prominent feature of the described object. Figurative periphrasis is based either on metaphor or on metonymy.

Periphrasis logical: weak sex – strong sex, guardian of the public order. figurative: root of all evil, young blood, head-hunters.

9. EUPHEMISM

Euphemism is a variety of periphrasis. It is a word or phrase, which substitutes an idea or a thing which the author does not want to name directly, or which he finds unpleasant. A euphemism calls in the reader’s (listener’s) mind the word it stands for.

Euphemism to die – to go to the forefathers; to pass away; to join the majority; to kick the bucket; to depart this life drunk – fresh; high; merry; three sheets to the wind; high as a kite

Nowadays in English we may distinguish between the following groups of euphemisms:
1) traditional, i.e. religious or moral euphemisms which have been long in usage, and become clichés;
2) political, parliamentary and medical euphemisms;
3) individual euphemisms.