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Euphemism

Device
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

The substitution of a mild or indirect expression for a harsh or blunt one

Detailed Definition
Euphemism is the substitution of a mild, indirect, or vague term for one considered harsh, blunt, or taboo (e.g., “passed away” for “died”); in poetry, euphemism can soften trauma, create irony through understatement, or reflect cultural anxieties about naming difficult realities like death, sex, or violence.
Example
Example in poetry:
“Passed away” instead of “died”; “Let go” instead of “fired”; “Adult entertainment” for pornography; Euphemism softens harsh realities in elegies and political verse.
Additional Notes
Euphemism substitutes a mild or indirect expression for a harsh or taboo one (e.g., “passed away” for “died”); poets use it for tact, irony, or to reveal character, but may also subvert it for blunt effect.
Other Meanings of “Euphemism”
Also Known As
Mild expression Polite substitution Softened term Gentle phrasing Euphémisme
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