Euphemisms and euphemization: the problem of choice in artistic discourse and translation

Abstract

The article is devoted to the analysis of artistic euphemisms, which are considered as a stylistic figure of softening, replacing direct nominations of taboo topics with more neutral, figurative analogues in accordance with the author's intention. Euphemism, following Georges Molinié, is defined as a stylistic macrofigure that is created on the basis of other tropes and figures, first of all such as metaphor, antiphrasis, hyperbole, antonomasia. Periphrasis is recognized as a classic euphemism, following S. Ullmann. Periphrastic descriptive constructions are often an effective means of euphemism with a humorous effect.
It is shown that the processes of euphemization, inherent in the modern discourse of war, political and media discourses, occupy an important place in the artistic text, which, modeling reality, softens the manifestation and perception of certain "unpleasant" moments of existence. In addition to softening, euphemization is a technique of expression and creation of a humorous tonality. Due to its important role in the text, euphemism always appears in the lists of the ten most important stylistic figures.
The article also distinguishes similar figures of the euphemistic type - simple euphemism, litotes, metalepsis, etc. One of the types of euphemism is recognized as a rhetorical figure of compensation as a replacement of refuting a negative fact with a positive argument.
Processes of euphemization in the artistic context play an important role and are realized through various types of substitutions. Words of general semantics or words with diffuse semantics often substitute for taboo words. As a rule, any figurative means of a characteristic type almost always has a euphemistic color. Argotisms are often the result of metaphorical euphemism, combining the euphemism with additional characteristic features. Phraseology is a special basis of euphemism. In a certain context, a euphemism as a rhetorical figure can turn into an antiphrasis, when a word or statement begins to express the complete opposite.
Euphemism also affects the replacement and modification of swear words and vulgarisms, an important means of which are ellipses, siglization, truncation, verlan, morphological modifications-metaplasms, literal nomination, etc.
Regarding the translation of euphemisms, it is not always possible to reproduce them equivalently.