Euphemania

Download or read book Euphemania written by Ralph Keyes and published by Little, Brown Spark. This book was released on 2010-12-14 with total page 176 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How did die become kick the bucket, underwear become unmentionables, and having an affair become hiking the Appalachian trail? Originally used to avoid blasphemy, honor taboos, and make nice, euphemisms have become embedded in the fabric of our language. Euphemania traces the origins of euphemisms from a tool of the church to a form of gentility to today's instrument of commercial, political, and postmodern doublespeak. As much social commentary as a book for word lovers, Euphemania is a lively and thought-provoking look at the power of words and our power over them.