Wobbly Bits and Other Euphemisms

by John Ayto

Wobbly Bits is the essential guide to polite conversation. Covering everything from the politically incorrect to the seriously taboo, this humorous book offers over 3,000 ways to avoid speaking your mind!

Wobbly Bits and Other Euphemisms

Author: John Ayto

Publisher: A&C Black

ISBN: 9780713678406

Page: 352

View: 174

Wobbly Bits is the essential guide to polite conversation. Covering everything from the politically incorrect to the seriously taboo, this humorous book offers over 3,000 ways to avoid speaking your mind! Keep this book as your secret weapon (that 'distinguished, cosmetically different person of size' your friend keeps mentioning might just not be your ideal date!), and you'll never be caught out again! Subjects covered include crime, sins, sex, the body and its parts, clothing and nakedness, bodily functions and secretions, illness and injury, old age and death, work, poverty, government and politics, warfare and race.

The Oxford Handbook of Taboo Words and Language

by Keith Allan

Euphemisms: Over 3,000 Ways to Avoid Being Rude or Giving Offence. London:
Bloomsbury. Ayto, J. (2007). Wobbly Bits and Other Euphemisms. Over 3,000
Ways to Avoid Speaking your Mind. London: A&C Black. Azzaro, Gabriele (2005).

The Oxford Handbook of Taboo Words and Language

Author: Keith Allan

Publisher: Oxford Handbooks

ISBN: 0198808194

Page: 480

View: 725

This volume brings together experts from a wide range of disciplines to define and describe tabooed words and language and to investigate the reasons and beliefs behind them. In general, taboo is defined as a proscription of behaviour for a specific community, time, and context. In terms of language, taboo applies to instances of language behaviour: the use of certain words in certain contexts. The existence of linguistic taboos and their management lead to the censoring of behaviour and, as a consequence, to language change and development. Chapters in this volume explore the multiple types of tabooed language from a variety of perspectives, such as sociolinguistics, anthropology, philosophy, psychology, historical linguistics, and neurolinguistics, and with reference to fields such as law, publishing, politics, and advertising. Topics covered include impoliteness, swearing, censorship, taboo in deaf communities, translation of tabooed words, and the use of taboo in banter and comedy.

Euphemania

by Ralph Keyes

Disabled was originally a euphemism for handicapped, which began as a polite
synonym for “crippled. ... As John Ayto points out in Wobbly Bits and Other
Euphemisms, words such as “blind,”“deaf,” “dumb,”“lame,” and “cripple” are of
ancient ...

Euphemania

Author: Ralph Keyes

Publisher: Hachette UK

ISBN: 0316121959

Page: 288

View: 488

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.

Unmentionables

by Ralph Keyes

Disabled was originally a euphemism for handicapped, which in turn began as a
polite synonym for crippled. ... As John Ayto points out in Wobbly Bits and Other
Euphemisms, words such as blind, deaf, dumb, lame and cripple are of ancient ...

Unmentionables

Author: Ralph Keyes

Publisher: Hachette UK

ISBN: 1848544561

Page: 300

View: 850

We say a lot about ourselves by what we don't say. Words and phrases like 'collateral damage', 'wardrobe malfunction', 'vertically challenged', and old favourites like 'unmentionables' (trousers, apparently) or 'lady of the night' - all are ways of not using particular words. UNMENTIONABLES is a rollicking exploration of the history of euphemistic usage, looking at how taboos connected to sex, death, religion, war, politics, business and matters of status have produced an extraordinary linguistic creativity, and how euphemistic speech has changed over the centuries. It looks at how euphemisms are born, and how they die (or 'experience a negative outcome') and it explores why it is that we create euphemisms, and the different purposes - from the benign to the sinister - that they serve. (Is 'euphemism' a euphemism for lying?) Lively, entertaining, and crammed with fascinating nuggets of information, UNMENTIONABLES is a celebration of the richness of language. Why have just one word for something when you can have ten other words instead?

The Hidden History of Coined Words

by Ralph Keyes

... A Dictionary of Euphemisms , Oxford : Oxford University Press , 1987 , 2007 ,
269 , 285 , 294 ; Ann Bertram , NTC's Dictionary of Euphemisms , Chicago : NTC ,
1998 , 1999 , 59 , 163 , 271 , 281 ; Ayto , Wobbly Bits and Other Euphemisms ...

The Hidden History of Coined Words

Author: Ralph Keyes

Publisher: Oxford University Press

ISBN: 0190466766

Page: 392

View: 293

Written by one of the country's most experienced and entertaining etymological detectives, The Hidden History of Coined Words provides a delightful excavation into the process by which words became minted. Not only does Ralph Keyes give us the who-what-where of it all, but delights in stories that reveal the mysteries of successful coinage.

Sex in Language

by Eliecer Crespo-Fernández

Euphemistic and Dysphemistic Metaphors in Internet forums Eliecer Crespo-
Fernández ... Ayto, J. (2007), Wobbly Bits and Other Euphemisms: Over 3,000
Ways to Avoid Speaking Your Mind, London: A & C Black. Barcelona, A. (ed.) (
2000a) ...

Sex in Language

Author: Eliecer Crespo-Fernández

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

ISBN: 1472596544

Page: 240

View: 917

Metaphor has long provided a rich way to speak about the unspeakable, to refer to delicate issues. Sex is one such area. This book follows a cognitive-linguistic and relevance-theoretic approach to the language of sex, considering metaphor as a bridge that brings together mind and language. It does this through the analysis of the antithetical mechanisms of verbal mitigation and offence. These two mechanisms are (more commonly know as) euphemism and (its lesser known companion term) dysphemism. The volume reflects on the social and communicative functions that sexual metaphors perform in a sample of almost two hundred postings taken from internet forums. How do people think about sex? How do people avoid talking about sex? How do people paraphrase sexual topics? It offers an account of how real language users understand sexual taboo in present-day English and also a great grounding in manual corpus work on a qualitative level.

Oxford Dictionary of English Idioms

by John Ayto

Offers entries for over six thousand idioms, including seven hundred new to this edition, and provides background information, additional cross-references, and national variants.

Oxford Dictionary of English Idioms

Author: John Ayto

Publisher: Oxford University Press

ISBN: 019954378X

Page: 408

View: 276

Offers entries for over six thousand idioms, including seven hundred new to this edition, and provides background information, additional cross-references, and national variants.

Oxford Dictionary of Modern Slang

by John Ayto

Offering coverage of over 6,000 slang words and expressions from the Cockney 'abaht' to the American term 'zowie', this is the most authoritative dictionary of slang from the 20th and 21st centuries.

Oxford Dictionary of Modern Slang

Author: John Ayto

Publisher: Oxford University Press

ISBN: 0199232059

Page: 408

View: 512

Offering coverage of over 6,000 slang words and expressions from the Cockney 'abaht' to the American term 'zowie', this is the most authoritative dictionary of slang from the 20th and 21st centuries.

Oxford Dictionary of Idioms

by John Ayto

More than 400 idioms have been added to this new edition, and comprise recently coined and common sayings alike.

Oxford Dictionary of Idioms

Author: John Ayto

Publisher: Oxford University Press

ISBN: 0192584383

Page: 448

View: 166

What is it to 'cock a snook', where is the land of Nod, and who was first to go the extra mile? Find the answers to these questions (and many more!) in the new edition of the Oxford Dictionary of Idioms. This dictionary uncovers the meanings of myriad phrases and sayings that are used daily in the English language, encompassing more than 10,000 figurative expressions, similes, sayings, and proverbs. More than 400 idioms have been added to this new edition, and comprise recently coined and common sayings alike. New additions include 'back of the net', 'drag and drop', 'go it alone', 'how come?', 'if you ask me', 'make your skin crawl', and 'woe betide'. Illustrative quotations sourced from the Oxford corpora give contextual examples of the idioms and their standard usage, and many entries include background information on the origins of the idiom in question. An updated thematic index makes for easy navigation, and anyone who is interested in the origins and diversity of English vernacular will have hours of fun browsing this fascinating dictionary.

Stone the Crows

by John Ayto

Drawing on the unique resources of the Oxford English Dictionary and offering coverage of over 6,000 slang words and expressions from the Cockney 'abaht' to the American term 'zowie', Stone the Crows is the most lively and authoritative ...

Stone the Crows

Author: John Ayto

Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA

ISBN:

Page: 408

View: 190

Drawing on the unique resources of the Oxford English Dictionary and offering coverage of over 6,000 slang words and expressions from the Cockney 'abaht' to the American term 'zowie', Stone the Crows is the most lively and authoritative dictionary of slang from the 20th and 21st centuries.

From the Horse s Mouth

by John Ayto

This edition also features a greatlyincreased number of cross-references, making it ideal for quick reference.Many entries include additional features which give more detailed background on the idiom in question.

From the Horse s Mouth

Author: John Ayto

Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA

ISBN: 0199543798

Page: 408

View: 691

Did you know that 'flavour of the month' originated in a marketing campaign in American ice-cream parlours in the 1940s, when a particular flavour would be specially promoted for a month at a time? And did you know that 'off the cuff' refers to the rather messy practice of writing impromptu notes on one's shirt cuff before speaking in public? These and many more idioms are explained and put into context in this third edition of the Oxford Dictionary of Idioms. The volume takes a fresh look at the idiomatic phrases and sayings that make English the rich and intriguing language that it is. This major new edition contains entries for over 6000 idioms, including 700 entirely new entries, based on Oxford's language monitoring and the ongoing third edition of the Oxford English Dictionary. These include a range of recently established idioms such as 'the elephant in the corner', 'go figure', 'like a rat up a drainpipe', 'sex on legs', 'step up to the plate', 'too posh to push', 'a walk in the park', 'win ugly'. This edition also features a greatly increased number of cross-references, making it ideal for quick reference. Many entries include additional features which give more detailed background on the idiom in question. For example, did you know that 'taken aback' was adopted from nautical terminology that described a ship unable to move forward because of a strong headwind pressing its sails back against the mast? Anyone interested in the colourful side of the Englishlanguage will get hours of fun browsing from this fascinating and informative volume.

New Statesman Society

by

... involves groups of reassuringly ordinary women being initiated into various
arts of femininity—make-up, convenience cookery, exercises to work off "those
wobbly bits"—by a female ... The use of baby talk and twee euphemism is
revealing.

New Statesman Society

Author:

Publisher:

ISBN:

Page:

View: 785

Product Engineering

by

You don't catch them fuzzing up their mistakes with euphemisms and other artful
dodges . ... Or “ We haven't got the guts to break it off clean , so we're just
chipping it off a little bit at a time . ” " It developed rotational instability . ” The
unpleasant truth , screened by a facade of Latin - derived polysyllabics : “ It
began to wobble .

Product Engineering

Author:

Publisher:

ISBN:

Page:

View: 280

Vol. for 1955 includes an issue with title Product design handbook issue; 1956, Product design digest issue; 1957, Design digest issue.

Fanfare

by

John Mitchinson has an occasional tightness of production and signs of a wobble
from time to time . ... a performance in which the word " ensemble " really means
something — and something other than a euphemism for second - rate singing .

Fanfare

Author:

Publisher:

ISBN:

Page:

View: 249

The Oxford Dictionary of Synonyms and Antonyms

by Oxford University Press

The Oxford Dictionary of Synonyms and Antonyms

Author: Oxford University Press

Publisher: OXFORD University Press

ISBN:

Page: 514

View: 688

Authoritative, accessible, and completely up to date, The Oxford Dictionary of Synonyms and Antonyms is an invaluable guide for anyone wanting to build their vocabulary and improve their writing skills. Over 140,000 alternative and opposite words are given with the closest, most frequentlyused synonyms listed first; in addition thousands of real-life examples of usage from the Oxford English Corpus enable the reader to pinpoint the relevant word quickly and easily.Also included are some useful appendices designed to improve your knowledge of the language: a new Wordfinder section offers a selection of thematic lists - from chemical elements and clothing to phobias and flowers - and a Common Confusables supplement explains the crucial differences betweensimilar words that are often mixed up.

The Journal of Genetic Psychology

by Carl Allanmore Murchison

However , the large majority of terms used are repressive and euphemistic . A
man in ... The drinker is afflicted , all at sea , a bit on , concerned , disguised , in
his altitudes , exalted , gilded , glorious , salubrious , chirping merry . ... In some
cases the association is far - fetched and the ideation narrow so that its relevance
is no longer apparent ; in others , a ... The place where liquor is sold is a devil ' s
house , a gargle factory , a roostingken , an O - be - joyful works , a wobble - shop
.

The Journal of Genetic Psychology

Author: Carl Allanmore Murchison

Publisher:

ISBN:

Page:

View: 701

Vols. 5-15 include "Bibliography of child study. By Louis N. Wilson."

Krest ljubvi

by Tat'jana Lučnikova

delicacies , and a small lizard on the other side of the room ' s window glass . At
the age of ... I learned a bit of boxing and wrestling , but the threat was there . ... In
the hospitals euphemism , he ' forgot to breathe . ... I tried to exercise , walked
more to quiet the pounding in my chest , to get rid of a wobbly feeling in my legs .

Krest ljubvi

Author: Tat'jana Lučnikova

Publisher: Context

ISBN:

Page: 282

View: 175

Stories from a Lakeside City 1997

by Jean Kent

His bifocals have slipped to perch on the end of his nose , and wobble with every
blustering snore . ... I listen to the latest developments on the American soap -
scene , the conversation dotted with euphemisms for the dirty bits in their daily ...

Stories from a Lakeside City 1997

Author: Jean Kent

Publisher:

ISBN:

Page: 54

View: 511

Britslang

by Ray Puxley

A piece of excrement stuck to an anal hair , another version of ' clinker ' ( qv ) . ...
A euphemism for piss from a time when the word was considered bad language ,
when a child may have ' wissed himself and the old man may have come home ...

Britslang

Author: Ray Puxley

Publisher: Robson Books Limited

ISBN:

Page: 547

View: 706

In true Cockney style Ray Puxley has produced a wonderfully entertaining and authoritative A-Z of the best of British slang. Combining a rich source of old familiar expressions with many colourful new ones including 'con charge', 'bling-bling', 'kipper' and 'snoutcast', he takes a humorous, non-academic (and full frontal!) approach to the origins and meanings of this language of the street, the bar and the underworld, a phenomenon that has permeated all aspects of our language from dotcoms to school playgrounds.