Cyril Haearn wrote:Usually there are three or more different words for any part of the body or bodily functions, euphemisms are fun, toilet costs 50c now, not a penny, but what are the wee wee frees in Scotland, is that a veiled reference to free toilets?
I use p******e, for tyres, obvious reasons
Did Uncle jack win the grand national?
A euphemism is a word that is felt to be more acceptable than another, naughty one. It is curious what qualifies a word as being sayable in more polite places. Often the Latin derived word is more genteel than the Anglo-Saxon one. Sometimes it seems arbitary. When words refer to the same thing why should one be usable in front of the vicar, but not the other?
Another aspect of this is the magic of actually using a word being more taboo than the thing named.
In the years before dog owners had been trained to clear up after their turd dispensers I upset an old lady by asking why she let her dog sh1t in the street. Me saying the word was more offensive to her than leaving the foul object where someone could tread in it!