委婉乎?欺人乎?——Doublespeak辨析

To euphemize or to deceive: An analysis of doublespeak

委婉语滥用现象十分严重,部分委婉的使用语已经偏离了其最初的目的,其实质是欺人之谈。这些欺人之谈常用的主要修辞手段包括拟人化、非人化、暗喻、低调陈述以及夸大其词等。此外,欺人之谈还表现为行话和官话。

Based on an analysis of the abuse of euphemisms, this article takes the view that the abused euphemisms are essentially doublespeak. It also explores doublespeak in terms of rhetorical devices, namely, personification, dehumanization, metaphor, understatement and inflation. There are also other forms which might turn out to be doublespeak in certain situations.