How many layers of obfuscation on the average euphemism?

Tue Mar 13 23:31:24 UTC 2012

John, are you suggesting that Jim's distinctions are merely
rationalizations?

Even if "fire" is not a legal or technical term in the strict sense (i.e.,
having a professionally limited and recognized definition), the
distinctions he mentions seem real enough.

JL

On Tue, Mar 13, 2012 at 7:15 PM, Baker, John <JBAKER at stradley.com> wrote:

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       "Baker, John" <JBAKER at STRADLEY.COM>
> Subject:      Re: How many layers of obfuscation on the average euphemism?
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>         "Fire" certainly is not a legal usage, and I doubt if it's really
> accurate to call it a technical usage either.  I believe that "fire," in
> this sense, is and always has been a slang term.
>
>        I understand "fire" to refer to a termination of employment by the
> employer, usually with the implication that the termination is for poor
> performance or is arbitrary.  Note that the suggested relationship between
> "fire" and "lay off" is not as neat as it might be.  A "layoff" generally
> is understood to be the dismissal of a number of employees because of
> inadequate work, with the implication that the employees may be re-hired if
> there is a subsequent increase in demand.  I'm doubtful that it's a layoff
> if, say, a convalescent dismisses her private nurse because her health has
> recovered to a sufficient extent that the nurse's services are no longer
> needed.
>
>        The origin of "fire," in this sense, is unknown.  Might it have
> come from the older term, "discharge," as a pun?  "Discharge," I believe,
> derives from dis-charge (an employee who is dismissed has his charge
> withdrawn), but one can also speak of discharging or firing a gun.  The
> logic and timing make sense, though I don't know of any evidence for this
> theory.
>
>
> John Baker
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf
> Of Jonathan Lighter
> Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2012 12:07 PM
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: Re: How many layers of obfuscation on the average euphemism?
>
> The distinction here is between an everyday usage ("fire") and a technical
> or legal usage ("fire").
>
>  JL
>
> On Tue, Mar 13, 2012 at 10:41 AM, Joel S. Berson <Berson at att.net> wrote:
>
> > ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> > -----------------------
> > Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > Poster:       "Joel S. Berson" <Berson at ATT.NET>
> > Subject:      Re: How many layers of obfuscation on the average
> euphemism?
> >
> >
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > At 3/13/2012 10:10 AM, James A. Landau <JJJRLandau at netscape.com> wrote:
> >
> > >On  Mon, 12 Mar 2012 12:42:44 -0500 Larry Sheldon
> > ><LarrySheldon at COX.NET> wrote:
> > >
> > > >The question came to mind trying to parse (decode?  decrypt?)
> > > >"rightsized", which you might mistakenly think from context is
> something
> > > >done to a company, but is actually a way of making a human being
> > > >disappear.
> > > >
> > > >"Rightsized" hides the depressor in "downsized".
> > > >
> > > >"Downsized" obfuscates the implied humanity in "layed off" or
> > > >"furloughed".
> > > >
> > > >Here the track gets hard to read:  "layed off" seems to be an attempt
> to
> > > >de-sting "fired" which has taken on an aura of misbehavior that it did
> > > >not have in times past. But it picks up a vague stench of "cast away",
> > > >"discarded", "shitcanned" while "furloughed" wants the listener to
> > > >believe that the person chose this action because it is such a good
> > > >idea, like a "vacation".
> > >
> > >On the contrary.  There is a real distinction between "laid off",
> > >"fired", and "furloughed".
> > >
> > >At least there is in New Jersey.
> >
> > But not in the two newspapers I read, the NY Times and the Boston
> > Globe.  There "fired" is frequently used when employees lose
> > (misplace? perhaps another euphemism) their jobs due to economic
> > difficulties of their employer.  I suspect the same will be heard on
> > news broadcasts.
> >
> > Joel
> >
> >
> > >In New Jersey if you are "fired" it is for cause (misbehavior).  If
> > >your employment is terminated other than for cause, then you are
> > >"laid off".  The distinction:  if you are laid off, you are entitled
> > >to receive unemployment benefits *immediately*.  If you are fired,
> > >you have to go through a hearing---a process that takes weeks---by
> > >the state before you can receive unemployment benefits (assuming the
> > >hearing decides in yur favor).
> > >
> > >If you are suddenly out of a job, that is a significant difference.
> > >
> > >"Furlough" does not mean "fired" or even "laid off".  A furlough is
> > >*temporary*.  A return-to-employment date must be specified, else it
> > >is not a furlough.  Listen to news reports: "XYZ Corp. laid off one
> > >hundred workers" (permanent end to the their jobs) versus "XYZ Corp.
> > >furloughed 100 workers for six weeks".
> > >
> > >In addition, sometimes furloughed workers receive partial pay or
> > >other benefits to encourage them to be available for re-employment
> > >once the furlough period ends.
> > >
> > >Please do not snear at the above as "bureaucratic details".  The
> > >distinctions are significant to the finances of anyone who is no
> > >longer employed.
> > >
> > >Also, the participle is "laid off".  "Layed off" is something a
> > >bricklayer does with a new row of brioks.
> > >
> > >Aside to someone: "interned" does not always mean "worked as an
> > >intern".  In wartime it is a type of confinement for nationals of a
> > >warring country by a neutral country, e.g. when the German warship
> > >Graf Spee was cornered in the neutral port of Montevideo, Uruguary,
> > >during World War II, the ship was blown up and the crew, rather than
> > >becoming POWs, were interned by the Uruguayans.
> > >
> > >      - Jim Landau
> > >
> > >_____________________________________________________________
> > >Netscape.  Just the Net You Need.
> > >
> > >------------------------------------------------------------
> > >The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------
> > The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
> >
>
>
>
> --
> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>

--
"If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."

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