Rawson often highlights how the length of a euphemism is usually proportional to the severity of the truth it hides.
These inflate the status of something humble (e.g., calling a janitor a "sanitary engineer"). A DICTIONARY Euphemisms ^Other Doubletalk
The author maintains a dry, scholarly humor throughout. He treats the human tendency toward obfuscation as both a necessary social lubricant and a dangerous tool for political manipulation. Rawson often highlights how the length of a
It explains the "euphemism treadmill," where a new, polite word eventually becomes "tainted" by the reality it describes and must be replaced by a newer, even more sterile term. He treats the human tendency toward obfuscation as
Rawson explores the evolution of "doubletalk"—words and phrases designed to make the bad seem good or the taboo seem acceptable. The book is organized alphabetically and covers a vast range of human experience, categorized into two main types:
The book is exceptionally well-indexed, allowing you to follow a trail of related terms (e.g., from "perspiration" to "sweat").