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1. Analysis of 'Euphemism and Evasion' #4
I. FUNDAMENTAL KNOWLEDGE TO MASTER
- What does 'euphemism and evasion' mean?
- How to apply this rhetorical device in communication?
1. What is Euphemism and Evasion?
- Euphemism and evasion is a rhetorical device that employs delicate and indirect expressions to avoid causing excessive sadness, disgust, or discomfort; it aims to avoid vulgarity and rudeness.
- This rhetorical device contrasts with hyperbole, which exaggerates a situation. It’s a form of indirect communication, not speaking plainly, to maintain politeness and dignity. For example, referring to someone who has passed away using terms like 'passed away', 'no longer with us', 'at peace', or 'departed' helps avoid the painful impact of direct words like 'death'.
Below are some examples:
+ 'Has Uncle gone yet, Uncle?' (Tố Hữu)
The autumn is beautiful, the sun bright in the sky.
+ 'Uncle has set off on the journey', towards the world of the wise.
(Tố Hữu)
+ Remember, from this moment, recall the day
Uncle Ho bid farewell to the world
At seventy-nine, a life so pure and bright,
Entering the eternal life, spreading wings gently...
(Tố Hữu)
+ The heart has stopped beating, a soul departed
As the eagle falls silent.
(Thu Bồn)
+ The village was abuzz
The brightest star in the sky has frozen now!
(Tố Hữu)
+ 'Grandmother returned in the year of famine, the village raised nets'
The sea was restless: Spirits in turmoil, the invaders shot...
(Tố Hữu)
+ Suddenly, lightning flashed
It’s over, Lượm, oh!
The comrade of the people
With a stream of blood so vivid.
(Tố Hữu)
+ Uncle Dương has passed away,
The misty clouds mourns us
(Nguyễn Khuyến)
+ Uncle is on a boat, I will wait.
(Tú Mỡ)
2. Using Euphemism and Evasion in Daily Communication
In regular conversations, it’s important to apply euphemism and evasion to demonstrate respect, politeness, and good manners, especially when talking about sensitive topics. However, it’s crucial to remember that in some cases, the truth must be spoken clearly and directly, as avoiding it may create misunderstandings or complications.
In summary, using euphemism should be done appropriately, in the right context, and at the right time to maintain balance and clarity in communication.
II. EXERCISES FOR PRACTICE
1. Try inserting the appropriate euphemistic terms in the blanks below to make the sentence more acceptable:
- Sentence (a): going on vacation.
- Sentence (b): parting ways.
- Sentence (c): visually impaired.
- Sentence (d): older in age.
- Sentence (e): remarrying.
2. Compare each pair of sentences and see which one sounds more tactful and respectful. This sentence will use euphemism.
Answers:
- Sentences using euphemism: a2, b2, c1, d1, e2.
- Sentences not using euphemism: a1, b1, c2, d2, e1.
3. Based on the sample sentence in the textbook ('This poem isn’t very good yet'), create five new sentences on topics of your choice. Here are some examples:
- It's short. → It’s not very tall yet.
- The child is quite naughty. → The child is not very obedient yet.
- You made a mistake. → You weren’t exactly right.
- His health is poor. → His health isn’t very good.
- The friend is slow. → The friend isn’t very quick.
4. Read again Section 2 (Using Euphemism and Evasion in Communication), and explain when it's not appropriate to use euphemism and evasion.
Examples:
- When discussing your friend's flaws (such as skipping cleaning duties, not attending classes without reason, swearing, fighting, or showing disrespect to teachers) during a class meeting.
- When a teacher talks to a student’s parents about their child's strengths and weaknesses.
2. Lesson "Euphemism" - Lesson 5
I. Key Concepts to Remember:
1. Definition:
This rhetorical device uses subtle, indirect expressions to avoid causing excessive sadness, fear, or discomfort; it avoids vulgarity or impoliteness.
Example: Has the child stopped having diarrhea?
2. Common Forms of Euphemism:
a. Using synonymous Chinese-Vietnamese terms
- Die: passed away, departed
- Buried: interred, laid to rest
b. Using metaphors or metonymy to convey different meanings
Example: The old man has gone on a journey to join his ancestors.
c. Using negations
Example: Ugly: not yet beautiful, not yet good.
d. Using vague expressions
Example: He’ll be gone soon.
* Euphemisms are mainly used in daily speech, political discourse, and artistic literature.
II. Exercises:
1/ Exercise 1:
Find the euphemism in the following sentences and explain its meaning:
a. Only when her body was broken and frail did Thi Kinh finally get exonerated and return to the realm of Buddha.
b. Then, Dế Choắt breathed his last. I felt deeply sad, both sorrowful and regretful.
c. Suddenly, a red flash appeared.
Alas, Lượm, goodbye!
d. Back then, before she reunited with the almighty, we were so happy together!
2/ Exercise 2:
Can we replace the word “die” in these sentences with an expression from Exercise 1? Why or why not?
a. In recent years, the number of people suffering from infectious diseases and dying from them has decreased.
-> Scientific text.
b. After the storm, all the trees in the garden were dead.
-> Objects.
c. The royal court burned the forest to kill the leader of the insurgent troops, thus quashing the uprising.
-> Killing (stabbed, shot) has a more defined, precise connotation and differs from “die” used in isolation.
3/ Exercise 3:
Make 3 sentences using negations as euphemisms.
Example: I didn’t cook very well today.
4/ Exercise 4:
Replace the underlined words with euphemistic synonyms:
a. Go ahead and prepare, the old lady may die any moment now.
b. He wants you to leave this place.
c. My father works as a security guard at the factory.
d. He suffers from hearing loss and blindness.
e. My mother works as a cook.
f. The director has only one servant.
(* Go; avoid being here for a bit; protect; hearing impairment, visual impairment; caregiver; domestic helper).
Homework:
Assignment 1: Identify the euphemism in the following situations:
a. Uncle Dương has passed away.
The water is misty, and my heart is filled with melancholy. (Nguyễn Khuyến)
– “Passed away” here softens the grief and loss that cannot be compensated.
b. The fate of a beautiful woman is fragile.
In the midst of spring, the fragrant branch of heaven suddenly breaks. (Nguyễn Du)
– “The fragrant branch of heaven breaking” symbolizes the tragic fate and loss of beauty, a painful downfall.
Assignment 2: Identify sentences in everyday life that use euphemism.
Example: Lan has been missing work frequently.
She doesn’t seem very kind lately.
3. Lesson "Euphemism" - Lesson 6
I. Basic Knowledge
1. What is Euphemism?
Euphemism is a rhetorical device that employs delicate, tactful expressions to avoid causing feelings of sorrow, horror, or heaviness, and to prevent vulgar or inappropriate language.
Example:
+ Nguyễn Khuyến mourned for his old friend:
Bác Dương thôi đã thôi rồi
Nước mây man mác ngậm ngùi lòng ta
The phrase “Thôi đã thôi rồi” conveys sudden and sorrowful news, while also expressing a hopeless plea against the harshness of fate.
+ When expressing politeness or avoiding coarseness, language users often choose euphemisms.
Example: My child’s studies are not yet very good.
“Not yet very good” is used in place of “poor grades”.
2. Types of Euphemism
– In communication, people often use synonyms to soften their language. Chinese-Vietnamese terms are frequently used to avoid too specific or harsh impressions. For example:
Commonly used:
– corpse, remains
– soldier
– there are many issues that need addressing
Not used:
– dead body
– soldier (in a more crude sense)
– weak
– Using negation in antonym pairs:
Example:
+ “She is ugly” can be softened to “She’s not very beautiful.”
+ “He sings badly” can be softened to “He doesn’t sing well.”
– Using vague expressions:
Example: “He’s about to pass away” can be softened to “He will… soon.”
II. Practice Skills
1. Replace the underlined words with synonyms to demonstrate the euphemism technique:
Your shirt is too ugly.
The soup is too salty.
This is a class for visually impaired children, and over there is a class for hearing impaired children.
My grandfather works as a school gatekeeper.
Suggested alternatives:
not very beautiful, not sweet enough, visually impaired, hearing impaired, security guard.
2. Find and analyze euphemism examples in the following passages:
“In the middle of the old path, the fragrant branch withered.”
(Nguyễn Du)
“Suddenly, a red flash of lightning,
Goodbye, Lượm!”
(Tố Hữu)
Teacher Pha only commented once: “The house has a pure and clean atmosphere,” but her mother replied, “Oh my, he just doesn’t understand life. Poverty makes people live closer together. I prefer places that are simple, just like us.”
(Tô Hoài)
When did he pass away? On Independence Day.
The high red sails, the waves with the flag flying.
Grandmother passed away during the famine, and the village hung nets.
The sea was rough, and the enemy shot at Hòn Me.
(Tố Hữu)
He has gone to join his ancestors.
Marx, Lenin, and the world of the wise.
(Tố Hữu)
Suggested interpretation:
“Withered fragrant branch” refers to death.
“Goodbye” implies sacrifice.
“Pure and clean,” “simple” refer to poverty.
“Passed away,” “returned” refers to death.
“Gone to join ancestors” refers to death.
Find 3 examples of euphemism in literature.
Example:
“The one lying beneath the earth, someone’s forgotten…”
(Tản Đà)
4. Lesson on "Euphemism" No. 1
I. Euphemism and Its Effects
1. What do the bolded words in the following excerpts mean? Why do the authors choose these expressions?
+ “Going to meet Comrade Marx, Comrade Lenin, and other senior revolutionaries,” “go,” “no longer here”: All of these refer to death and loss.
+ The writer or speaker wants to soften the intensity of grief and loss by using a gentler expression for death.
2. The author uses the term “mother’s milk” instead of other terms because “mother’s milk” is a delicate and polite way to refer to it while still conveying the warmth and affection of maternal love.
3. Among two expressions, “My child hasn’t been very diligent lately” is the gentler and more tactful way to communicate this to the listener.
Practice Exercises
Exercise 1 (p. 108, Literature 8, Volume 1)
Fill in the blanks with appropriate euphemisms:
a. Going on a break
b. Parting ways
c. Visually impaired
d. Advanced in years
e. Remarrying
Exercise 2 (p. 108, Literature 8, Volume 1)
Choose the sentence that uses a euphemism:
a. You should be more polite with your friends!
b. You shouldn’t stay here anymore!
c. Please don’t smoke in this room!
d. What he said shows a lack of goodwill.
e. I made a mistake yesterday, please forgive me.
Exercise 3 (p. 109, Literature 8, Volume 1)
Use euphemisms to create five evaluative sentences in different contexts:
- His studies aren’t very good yet.
- My child hasn’t been very well-behaved lately.
- He didn’t express himself very clearly.
- His health isn’t in the best condition.
- He’s not very quick.
Exercise 4 (p. 109, Literature 8, Volume 1)
Euphemism is a rhetorical device, but it should be used appropriately depending on the context. In situations where directness is required, euphemisms should not be used.
5. Lesson Plan on 'Euphemism' No. 2
I. What is Euphemism?
Euphemism is a rhetorical device that uses delicate and indirect language to avoid causing distress, fear, or discomfort; it also prevents the use of coarse or impolite expressions.
I. Answering Textbook Questions
1. What do the bolded words in the following excerpts mean? Why did the writer choose these terms?
- Therefore, I have prepared these words, in case I meet with Comrades Marx, Lenin, and other senior revolutionaries, so that the people and comrades everywhere won’t be caught off guard.
(Ho Chi Minh, Testament)
“Has Uncle passed away already? Oh, Uncle!”
The autumn is beautiful, the sky is clear.
(Tố Hữu, Uncle is gone)
- Mr. Độ’s child... How tragic, by the time they arrived home, their parents were no longer there.
(Hổ Phương Thư’s Story)
Answer:
- “Going to meet Comrade Marx, Comrade Lenin, and other senior revolutionaries,” “gone,” “no longer here”: all refer to death or loss.
- The writer uses these phrases to soften the impact of death and loss, making them less harsh.
2. Why does the author use the term 'mother’s milk' in this passage instead of another similar term?
The child must curl up in the arms of a mother, pressing their face against her warm breast, while the mother gently strokes their forehead, and scratches their back to comfort them, feeling the soothing warmth of motherhood.
(Nguyên Hồng, Days of Childhood)
Answer:
The author uses the term 'mother’s milk' instead of another word because it is a delicate expression, avoiding crudeness while still conveying the warmth and tenderness of maternal love.
3. Compare the two following phrases and determine which one sounds softer and more tactful for the listener:
- You’ve been so lazy lately.
- You haven’t been very diligent lately.
Answer:
The second sentence, “You haven’t been very diligent lately,” is softer and more tactful towards the listener.
II. Practice Exercises
Exercise 1
Fill in the blanks with the appropriate euphemisms: taking a break, visually impaired, parting ways, of a certain age, remarrying.
a) Late at night, we invited Grandma to take a break.
b) My parents passed away when I was very young, and I moved in with my grandmother.
c) This is a class for children who are visually impaired.
d) My mother is of a certain age, so she needs to be careful with her health.
e) After his father passed away, his mother remarried, and his uncle took great care of him.
Exercise 2
In each pair of sentences below, the one using euphemism is...
a) You need to be more polite with your friends!
a) You should be more polite with your friends!
b) Leave my room immediately!
b) You shouldn’t stay here anymore!
c) Please do not smoke in the room!
c) Smoking is prohibited in the room!
d) What you said lacks goodwill.
d) What you said was malicious.
e) I made a mistake yesterday, please forgive me.
e) I did something wrong yesterday, please forgive me.
Answer:
The sentences that use euphemism are:
a) You should be more polite with your friends!
b) You shouldn’t stay here anymore!
c) Please do not smoke in the room!
d) What you said lacks goodwill.
e) I did something wrong yesterday, please forgive me.
Exercise 3
When offering criticism, people often use euphemisms by negating the opposite of the evaluation to make it easier for the listener to accept. For example, instead of saying “Your poem is awful,” one might say “Your poem is not very good.” Create five evaluative sentences using this technique in different contexts.
Answer:
Using euphemisms, here are five sentences in different situations:
- His performance was not very good.
- My child hasn’t been very well-behaved lately.
- He didn’t speak very clearly.
- His health isn’t in the best condition.
- He isn’t very quick.
Exercise 4
The use of euphemisms depends on the communication context. In which situations should euphemisms not be used?
Answer:
Euphemisms are a rhetorical device, but they should be used appropriately depending on the situation. In cases where directness is necessary to address the core issue, euphemisms should be avoided.
6. Lesson Plan on 'Euphemism' No. 3
I. What is Euphemism and Its Impact?
Example 1: What do the bolded words in the following excerpts mean? Why did the writer choose these expressions?
Therefore, I have prepared these words in case I will meet with Comrades Marx, Lenin, and other senior revolutionaries, so that the people across the nation, the comrades in the Party, and friends everywhere won't feel caught off guard.
(Ho Chi Minh, Testament)
“Has Uncle passed away already? Oh, Uncle!”
(Tố Hữu, Uncle is Gone)
“Mr. Độ’s child... How tragic, by the time they arrived home, their parents were no longer there.”
(Hổ Phương, Family Letters)
Answer:
The bolded terms refer to death.
The writer uses these expressions to soften the impact of death and loss, aiming to reduce the sadness caused by the loss of a loved one while showing respect.
Example 2: Why does the author use the term 'mother's breast' instead of another similar word?
The child must curl up in the arms of a mother, press their face against her warm breast, as the mother gently strokes their forehead and scratches their back to comfort them, feeling the warmth of maternal love.
(Nguyên Hồng, Childhood Days)
Answer:
The author uses 'mother's breast' to avoid using a crude term while still conveying the warmth and tenderness of motherhood.
Example 3: Compare the following two sentences and determine which one is softer and more tactful for the listener:
- You’ve been so lazy lately.
- You haven’t been very diligent lately.
Answer:
The second sentence, “You haven’t been very diligent lately,” is the softer and more tactful expression.
Practice Exercises
Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks with the appropriate euphemisms: going for a rest, visually impaired, parting ways, of a certain age, remarrying.
a) It's late, let's invite Grandma to go for a rest.
b) My parents parted ways when I was very young, and I moved in with my grandmother.
c) This is a class for visually impaired children.
d) My mother is of a certain age now, so she needs to be careful with her health.
e) After his father passed away, his mother remarried, and his uncle took great care of him.
Exercise 2: In each pair of sentences below, which one uses euphemism?
a) You need to be polite with your friends!
b) You should be polite with your friends!
c) Leave my room immediately!
d) You shouldn’t stay here anymore!
e) Please don’t smoke in the room!
f) Smoking is prohibited in the room!
g) What you said lacks goodwill.
h) What you said was malicious.
i) I was rude to you yesterday, please forgive me.
j) I made a mistake with you yesterday, please forgive me.
Answer:
The sentences using euphemisms are:
b) You should be polite with your friends!
d) You shouldn’t stay here anymore!
e) Please don’t smoke in the room!
g) What you said lacks goodwill.
j) I made a mistake with you yesterday, please forgive me.
Exercise 3: When criticizing something, people often use euphemisms by negating the opposite of the evaluation to make it easier for the listener to accept. For example, instead of saying “Your poem is awful,” one could say “Your poem is not very good.” Create five evaluative sentences using this technique.
Answer:
1. Your essay is not very good.
2. Your behavior is a little over the top.
3. Your math skills could use improvement.
4. This shirt is not very stylish.
5. Your handwriting could be a bit neater.
Exercise 4: The use of euphemism depends on the context of communication. When should euphemisms not be used?
Answer:
Euphemisms should not be used in situations where it's necessary to be straightforward or when the truth must be stated directly. For example, in a literary critique or a report about someone’s shortcomings, euphemisms should be avoided.
