euphemisms

[Wilson Gray]

On Fri, Dec 23, 2011 at 2:35 AM, Benjamin Barrett <gogaku at ix.netcom.com> wrote:
> There are interesting follow-ups to whether "bathroom" is a euphemism. One person notes that "shitcloset" is not used; while that's a new one to me, I have heard "shitter" many times.
>

Since "shitcloset" isn't in the UD and, FWIW, I've never heard it, I'd
wager that it's not used because it doesn't exist. I've been familiar
with "shitter" in white speech for more than a half-century. It's
unused it the BE of my era.

> I've been meaning to see if I can spot a clear example where "stomach" means "intestines." AFAIK, "stomach pain" often refers to intestinal pain (at least I have been working on getting those correct for several years).
>

I've used stomach" as my usual word for the actual stomach, for the
abdomen, and for the intestines my entire life. "Stomach pain" is,
IME, always intestinal pain, unless otherwise specified.

> Words describing physical conditions have social restrictions. Words such as "hemorrhoids" and "diarrhea" ("the runs") cannot be used with the same freedom as "headache" and "sprained wrist." I think that restriction is different from the one governing terminal and serious illnesses.
>

'Rhoids are "(the) piles" in BE. "Hemorrhoids" has a very clinical ring to it.

> As for "room business" (fang shi, likely 房事) mentioned in the Economic article, Lisa See uses "bed business" in her novel "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" (http://ow.ly/88ziE). I do not know if they are the same or not. I believe the word "bed business" was used in the film as well.

"Room business" and "bed business" have no meaning for me. No doubt, I
should read the relevant articles.

--
-Wilson
-----
All say, "How hard it is that we have to die!"---a strange complaint
to come from the mouths of people who have had to live.
-Mark Twain

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org