Social Question

josie's avatar

What's an up and coming word on the "Euphemism Treadmill"?

Asked by josie (30934points) December 11th, 2019

The Euphemism Treadmill

https://waldo.jaquith.org/blog/2007/03/pejorative/

http://englishcowpath.blogspot.com/2011/06/euphemism-treadmill-replacing-r-word.html?m=1

It really is a fascinating phenomenon.

What might be a candidate for the next word to be replaced by a different word with exactly the same meaning.

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10 Answers

hmmmmmm's avatar

@josie: “It really is a fascinating phenomenon.”

Is it? Language is fluid.

Are you fascinated by linguistics overall, or are you interested in something that feeds your interest in so-called political correctness?

ragingloli's avatar

Misogynists renaming themselves “Incels” and “nice guys” and “MGTOWs”.
Neonazis calling themselves “centrists”.
Racists being called “fine people”.

Dutchess_III's avatar

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People should be National Association for the Advancement of those with genes over 50% African.

josie's avatar

@hmmmmmm

Not sure I know the difference between so-called political correctness, and the other political correctness.
But fascinating it certainly is!

Demosthenes's avatar

I find it interesting, as a student of linguistics. That the creation of euphemisms is often futile, because those euphemisms end up becoming just as offensive as the words they were designed to replace. Words that describe certain things will seemingly always become offensive after a while because humans like to use words that refer to “undesirable” traits as general negative descriptors. Words like “lame” and “dumb” originally referred to disabilities, now they just mean “stupid”. It’s unfortunate that this happens, but it seems to be natural. Even the word “special” has become pejorative.

ucme's avatar

Remoaners
Brexit deniers who keep bleating on about a second referendum.
Shut up, sit down & behave!

josie's avatar

@lucillelucillelucille

Funny, I was thinking that myself.
Is that so-called Neroli Oil, or the real one?

rebbel's avatar

Witch hunts – Investigations.

lucillelucillelucille's avatar

@josie -Depends on the tone of voice one uses.

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