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*Euphemania: Our Love Affair with Euphemisms*
The author is Ralph Keyes and you can buy it here.��Here are three excerpts:
Yesterday's polite euphemism is tomorrow's prissy evasion.� "Cherry" was once considered more respectable than "hymen."� Now, just the opposite is true.� The former is thought to be vulgar, the latter decent.
And:
When the unfortunately named rapeseed oil had trouble competing with products that had nicer names, a Canadian strain low in saturated fat was dubbed Canola (i.e., "Canadian oil") in 1978 and has done rather well since.
And:
It used to be said that "Horses sweat, men perspire, and ladies glow."
Most of all, this book was...interesting.
Posted by Tyler Cowen on February 1, 2011 at 07:23 AM in Books, Education | Permalink
Comments
We still call it rapeseed oil in Britain. But then our free speech tradition is robuster than yours. But it is dwindling away under the sway of the American example.
Posted by: dearieme at Feb 1, 2011 7:27:31 AM
The dreaded ellipses.
We still have freedom of speech, we just disapprove.
Posted by: Andrew at Feb 1, 2011 7:51:31 AM
Probably because "hymen" is rarely preceded by "bust the hell outta dat..."
Posted by: Andrew at Feb 1, 2011 7:53:33 AM
Free speech doesn't exist in Britain. Cf. Racial and Religious Hatred Act.
Posted by: Simon at Feb 1, 2011 8:16:06 AM
I thought it was called 'oilseed rape' over there.
Posted by: n=1 at Feb 1, 2011 8:19:01 AM
"We still call it rapeseed oil in Britain. But then our free speech tradition is robuster than yours. But it is dwindling away under the sway of the American example."
You have freedom of speech in Britain? I always got tripped up on your media that produces headlines unsupported by fact or even the content of the headlined story, never got far enough to notice.
Posted by: ORB at Feb 1, 2011 8:25:13 AM
But without rapeseed how would we get such awesome pictcures:
http://armedamerican.com/postpix/40_lb_box_of_rape.jpg
Posted by: nelsonal at Feb 1, 2011 8:33:38 AM
It does fine as it is. In fact, sales of it are so good in England that they offer it in dispensers in the men's lavatory.
Posted by: Andrew at Feb 1, 2011 8:41:37 AM
I'm not sure I concur with the first example.
Consider the popular rap line
I'll still be rhymin' when I'm in your hymen
Posted by: deified at Feb 1, 2011 8:43:45 AM
"We still call it rapeseed oil in Britain. But then our free speech tradition is robuster than yours. But it is dwindling away under the sway of the American example."
Exactly opposite. It's not April 1st, silly troll.
Posted by: Vernunft at Feb 1, 2011 8:47:27 AM
Ahem, Chemist moment. It's Canadian Oil - Low Acid! Don't forget the Low Acid! If they hadn't developed a low Erucic (brassidic) acid breed, canola oil wouldn't be edible - too bitter and pungent. Remember that movie "Lorenzo's oil"? Mostly Erucic acid. Ok, you may now return to culture and economics.
Posted by: Indy at Feb 1, 2011 8:51:54 AM
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