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=== Euphemisms === | === Euphemisms === | ||
{{ | {{Color box|color=purple|width=75%|align=center | ||
|quote={{big|''Words to watch:'' '''... passed away, gave his life, eternal rest, make love, an issue with, collateral damage, living with cancer, ...'''}} | |quote={{big|''Words to watch:'' '''... passed away, gave his life, eternal rest, make love, an issue with, collateral damage, living with cancer, ...'''}} | ||
}} | }} | ||
The word ''died'' is neutral and accurate; avoid [[ | The word ''died'' is neutral and accurate; avoid [[Wikipedia:Euphemism|euphemisms]] such as ''passed away''. Likewise, ''have sex'' is neutral; the euphemism ''make love'' is presumptuous. Some words that are proper in many contexts also have euphemistic senses that should be avoided: do not use ''issue'' for ''problem'' or ''dispute''; ''[[Wikipedia:Civilian casualties|civilian casualties]]'' should not be masked as ''[[Wikipedia:Collateral damage|collateral damage]]''. | ||
If a person ''has'' an affliction, or ''is'' afflicted, say just that; ''living with'' is a verbose softener. Norms vary for expressions concerning disabilities and disabled persons. The goal is clear and direct expression without causing unnecessary offense. Do not assume that plain language is inappropriate.<ref>The [[National Federation of the Blind]], for instance, opposes terms such as ''sightless'', in favor of the straightforward ''blind''. Similarly, the same group argues that there is no need to substitute awkward circumlocutions such as ''people with blindness'' for the simpler phrase ''blind people''; see [http://www.nfb.org/Images/nfb/Publications/bm/bm93/brlm9308.htm#2 Resolution 93-01], National Federation of the Blind, July 9, 1993, accessed April 26, 2010.</ref> | If a person ''has'' an affliction, or ''is'' afflicted, say just that; ''living with'' is a verbose softener. Norms vary for expressions concerning disabilities and disabled persons. The goal is clear and direct expression without causing unnecessary offense. Do not assume that plain language is inappropriate.<ref>The [[Wikipedia:National Federation of the Blind|National Federation of the Blind]], for instance, opposes terms such as ''sightless'', in favor of the straightforward ''blind''. Similarly, the same group argues that there is no need to substitute awkward circumlocutions such as ''people with blindness'' for the simpler phrase ''blind people''; see [http://www.nfb.org/Images/nfb/Publications/bm/bm93/brlm9308.htm#2 Resolution 93-01], National Federation of the Blind, July 9, 1993, accessed April 26, 2010.</ref> | ||
=== Clichés and idioms === | === Clichés and idioms === | ||