bad words cleansed

[peterson]

We use several word for this, primarily idiom or cliche.  At some point, most
idiomatic expressions were creative bits of language play, metaphorically or
metonymically linking various domains of meaning.  As the expression enters
into general circulation, it loses its original significance.  It remains,
however, difficult to translate.

Mark Allen Peterson

>===== Original Message From Robert Lawless <robert.lawless at wichita.edu> =====
>It is so exciting to hear from professional linguists. I have another
>question that i suppose is linguistic. The other day I overheard the
>teacher of my first-grade twin sons use the word "brown-nosing" in class.
>After class I asked her whether she was aware of the origin of the phrase.
>Of course, she wasn't. When I told her, she was horrified. How common is it
>for bad words to be cleansed so that people use them with no knowledge of
>their origins as pejorative comments? Is there a particular linguistic
>label for this? Robert.
>
>
>
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