“To use a Southern euphemism, our space program has been snakebit.” – Al Gore
“Euphemism” is defined as “a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing.”
But if you want to know what a euphemism really is you need to look no further than SpaceX officials describing the recent explosion of its huge Starship rocket as “a rapid unscheduled disassembly.” Even The New York Times called out the rocketeer’s description of the event, writing about how “SpaceX cheekily acknowledged the explosive end to the flight.”
According to the folks at Merriam-Webster, “The definition of DISASSEMBLE is to take apart.” The lexicographers also define “reassemble” as being able to “put together the parts of something again.” Based on those definitions, it’s not a stretch to say that something that’s been disassembled can, in theory at least, be put back together again. So it’s obvious, at least to me, that SpaceX’s rocket didn’t experience any type of disassembly or RUD – it blew up.
Another word for “euphemism” is “paranym,” which is described as a word or phrase that’s used to disguise or misrepresent the truth about something. (Not to be confused with “paronym,” which is a word derived from another word and that has a similar meaning – for example: “childhood” and “childish.”)
Just as there is a difference between paranyms and paronyms, the same holds for euphemisms and synonyms. While a euphemism is a mild way of saying something harsh, a synonym is simply another way of saying something. Let’s face it, “puke” and “barf” are just other words for “vomit.”
On the other hand, several online lists of euphemisms include the colorful expressions “toss your cookies” and “lose your lunch” as options for the offending word. A nicer way of describing a fart is to say that someone “passed gas” or “cut the cheese” (and everybody in the room will deny having done it).
Other examples of euphemisms are usually about conditions and situations that apply to most or all of us and are usually expressed in layman’s terms that are sometimes less than politically correct themselves.
For instance, people dealing with physical challenges have been described as “differently abled,” while larger people have been called “big boned” or “well fed.” If you’ve been around for a while, you’ve probably heard the phrases “long in the tooth,” “getting on in years” or even “over the hill.”
But we’re still here. At least until we “kick the bucket,” “pass away,” buy the farm” or “meet our maker.”
And it’s not just people that arrive at the pearly gates. Our beloved “fur babies” are usually “put down” or “put to sleep” before they “cross the rainbow bridge” into pet heaven.
And there’s that salesman (or more likely a scammer these days) who claims to be a “sales rep” on the other end of those annoying “courtesy calls” that come at the worst possible times. And while he claims to never lie, he is usually “economical with the truth.”
And, in case you’re wondering, the euphemism for “euphemism” is ”good bad words.”
Jim Witherell of Lewiston is a writer and lover of words whose work includes “L.L. Bean: The Man and His Company” and “Ed Muskie: Made in Maine.” He can be reached at jlwitherell19@gmail.com.
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