Euphemisms in English Everyday Discourse Eufemismy V anglickém jazykovém prostředí

1.1 EUPHEMISMS
1.1.1 Definition of Euphemisms
Rawson (1981: 1) states that “the term comes from the Greek 
eu
, meaning 
‘well’ or ‘sounding good,’ and 
phēmē
, ‘speech’.” In fact, euphemisms are linguistic 
tools which are used to protect the speaker or the hearer from possible offence and 
impudence. It means that when speaking about a delicate topic we choose indirect, mild 
and agreeable words in order to soften the potentially negative impact of our 
expressions on the hearer.
According to Keyes (2010: 8) “euphemizing most often results from an excess 
of politeness and prudery, but it can also demonstrate creativity and high good humour.” 
There is a tendency to maintain courtesy and social tact in interpersonal communication. 
So as to keep a harmony in a conversation the aim is to avoid an argument that our 
speech can cause. Linfoot-Ham (2005: 228) adds that “in order for communication to 
progress smoothly and without conflict, accommodations are continually, and often 
subconsciously, made.” They are rooted so deeply in our language that we use them 
without knowing it.
Southerland and Katamba (1997: 554) define euphemism as “the avoidance of 
words which may be seen as offensive, obscene, or somehow disturbing to listeners or 
readers.” Items which are euphemized are often tabooed. Another point of view on 
euphemisms is provided by Wang (2013: 156) for whom “euphemism is not only a 
common strategy in people’s language using, but also a kind of cultural phenomenon.” 
Wang (2013: 156) adds that “having a great effect on people’s daily communication, it 
can make a harsh topic softer and an embarrassed conversation agreeable while 
adhering to social communicative conventions.” The thesis builds on this definition, as 
it proves to be complex and involves the matter of cultural conventions in an everyday 
discourse.

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