This dictionary is less about "correct" English and more about the . It is an essential read for writers, linguists, or anyone interested in how language can be used to either bridge gaps or build walls between people and the truth.
The book is exceptionally well-indexed, allowing you to follow a trail of related terms (e.g., from "perspiration" to "sweat"). A DICTIONARY Euphemisms ^Other Doubletalk
Rawson doesn't just define terms; he traces their origins. You’ll learn how Victorian-era modesty turned "legs" into "limbs" and how corporate "restructuring" became a standard mask for mass layoffs. This dictionary is less about "correct" English and
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 doesn't just define terms; he traces their origins
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:
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.
Rawson often highlights how the length of a euphemism is usually proportional to the severity of the truth it hides.