4. Ambiguity and vagueness as cognitive tools for euphemistic and politically correct speech
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Pedro J. Chamizo-Domínguez
Abstract
This contribution will deal with two topics closely related and intermingled, namely, euphemism and political correctness since both share the salient features of ambiguity and vagueness. In order to achieve my purpose, this paper is divided into three main sections as well as into an introduction. Section 1 is devoted to establishing a workable distinction between ambiguity and vagueness and to showing how both have cognitive effects (Grondelaers and Geeraerts 1998). This means that ambiguous and/or vague sentences play a fundamental, cognitive role (Tuggy 2006) when the speaker intends to be politically correct. Section 2 is focused on presenting three paradigmatic instances of dysphemism, ambiguity and vagueness, as well as showing how a given text or utterance can be dysphemistic from a cognitive point of view in spite of the fact all the terms used in it are instances of euphemisms in other contexts. Finally, section 3 is devoted to analysing how politically correct language achieves its purposes thanks it is either ambiguous or vague, or even both. And it is the case that ambiguity and vagueness are usually achieved by means of both (supposed) synonymic substitution and indirect speech acts. Both mechanisms are exemplified by appealing to actual cases, namely, the recommendations found in the guidelines of a learned society and several sings in which smoking is prohibited.
Abstract
This contribution will deal with two topics closely related and intermingled, namely, euphemism and political correctness since both share the salient features of ambiguity and vagueness. In order to achieve my purpose, this paper is divided into three main sections as well as into an introduction. Section 1 is devoted to establishing a workable distinction between ambiguity and vagueness and to showing how both have cognitive effects (Grondelaers and Geeraerts 1998). This means that ambiguous and/or vague sentences play a fundamental, cognitive role (Tuggy 2006) when the speaker intends to be politically correct. Section 2 is focused on presenting three paradigmatic instances of dysphemism, ambiguity and vagueness, as well as showing how a given text or utterance can be dysphemistic from a cognitive point of view in spite of the fact all the terms used in it are instances of euphemisms in other contexts. Finally, section 3 is devoted to analysing how politically correct language achieves its purposes thanks it is either ambiguous or vague, or even both. And it is the case that ambiguity and vagueness are usually achieved by means of both (supposed) synonymic substitution and indirect speech acts. Both mechanisms are exemplified by appealing to actual cases, namely, the recommendations found in the guidelines of a learned society and several sings in which smoking is prohibited.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Foreword V
- Table of contents IX
- List of contributing Authors XI
- Introduction 1
- 1. Lexicon, discourse and cognition: terminological delimitations in the conceptualizations of linguistic taboo 13
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Part I: Construal
- 2. The axiological and communicative potential of homosexual-related metaphors 35
- 3. Metonymy-based euphemisms in war-related speeches by George W. Bush and Barack Obama 55
- 4. Ambiguity and vagueness as cognitive tools for euphemistic and politically correct speech 79
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Part II: Cultural Conceptualization
- 5. Old age revolution in Australian English: Rethinking a taboo concept 99
- 6. Taboo subjects as insult intensifiers in Egyptian Arabic 117
- 7. Emotion concepts in context: Figurative conceptualizations of hayâ ‘self-restraint’ in Persian 141
- 8. A Cognitive Linguistics approach to menstruation as a taboo in Gĩkũyũ 161
- 9. The socio-cognitive aspects of taboo in two cultures: A case study on Polish and British English 179
- 10. The influence of conceptual differences on processing taboo metaphors in the foreign language 201
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Part III: Cognitive Sociolinguistics
- 11. Why do the Dutch swear with diseases? 225
- 12. Calling things by their name: Exploring the social meanings in the preference for sexual (in)direct construals 245
- 13. The perception of the expression of taboos: a sociolinguistic study 269
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Part IV: Interdisciplinary Approaches
- 14. Scrupulosity, sexual ruminations and cleaning in Obsessive – Compulsive Disorder 293
- 15. Swearing as emotion acts 311
- Index 329
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Foreword V
- Table of contents IX
- List of contributing Authors XI
- Introduction 1
- 1. Lexicon, discourse and cognition: terminological delimitations in the conceptualizations of linguistic taboo 13
-
Part I: Construal
- 2. The axiological and communicative potential of homosexual-related metaphors 35
- 3. Metonymy-based euphemisms in war-related speeches by George W. Bush and Barack Obama 55
- 4. Ambiguity and vagueness as cognitive tools for euphemistic and politically correct speech 79
-
Part II: Cultural Conceptualization
- 5. Old age revolution in Australian English: Rethinking a taboo concept 99
- 6. Taboo subjects as insult intensifiers in Egyptian Arabic 117
- 7. Emotion concepts in context: Figurative conceptualizations of hayâ ‘self-restraint’ in Persian 141
- 8. A Cognitive Linguistics approach to menstruation as a taboo in Gĩkũyũ 161
- 9. The socio-cognitive aspects of taboo in two cultures: A case study on Polish and British English 179
- 10. The influence of conceptual differences on processing taboo metaphors in the foreign language 201
-
Part III: Cognitive Sociolinguistics
- 11. Why do the Dutch swear with diseases? 225
- 12. Calling things by their name: Exploring the social meanings in the preference for sexual (in)direct construals 245
- 13. The perception of the expression of taboos: a sociolinguistic study 269
-
Part IV: Interdisciplinary Approaches
- 14. Scrupulosity, sexual ruminations and cleaning in Obsessive – Compulsive Disorder 293
- 15. Swearing as emotion acts 311
- Index 329
