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September 7, 2012
Q. What's the linguistic trick for making bad things like death sound not quite so bad? In fact, applied to a dead parrot, things can get downright funny.
A. Euphemisms are indirect or roundabout phrasings to soften their impact, says Christopher DiCarlo in “Pain in the Ass: A Critical Thinker's Guide to Asking the Right Question.” For example, “passed away” is often substituted for “died,” and animals are “put to sleep” or “put down” rather than “killed.”
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