TITLE:  Euphemisms

AUTHOR:  Meredith Ford, Lee Vining High, CA

GRADE LEVEL/SUBJECT:  7-9; English

OVERVIEW:  Students, especially young ones, often are unable
to use the appropriate synonym, both in speaking and in
writing.  Neither are they able to recognize words as being
synonyms if the words have different connotations.

PURPOSE:  This lesson will be one step in dealing with the
huge problem of appropriate word choice in student writing
and speaking.  It will also help students recognize the
value of appropriate word choice and see synonyms in
language, especially in the language of advertising.

OBJECTIVES:  The student will be able to:
1.   Recognize the word euphemism, pronounce it, and define
     it.
2.   Give five examples of offensive words and a euphemism
     for each.

ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:
1.   Ask students if they know any words which are
     considered harsh or "not nice" things to say about
     another person.  Every hand will go up, of course.
     Avoiding grossly inappropriate choices, put some of
     these words on the board.
2.   Ask the students to pretend the person's best friend
     was listening to the conversation.  How could each word
     be changed to a nicer synonym.  Examples: stupid - slow
     to catch on, fat - heavy, slob - relaxed about
     appearance, loud-mouth - speaks up for himself.
3.   Write EUPHEMISM on the board with YOO-FA-MIZZUM
     directly under it.  Students supply the definition and
     you write it.  They then copy this information on
     notebook paper.  They pronounce the word several times
     as a group.
4.   Point out that many body parts, bodily functions,
     places, jobs, and so on which are considered "not
     nice."  Put a list of ten or so on the board for the
     students to copy.  Individually or in small groups,
     students then attempt to come up with three euphemisms
     for each word and write them on the same notebook
     paper.

     If appropriate, the words taboo, connotation, and
     offensive can be worked into this lesson.

     Students can use dictionaries or thesauruses for this
     assignment, but neither is necessary.

TYING IT ALL TOGETHER:
  1.  Quiz:  What is euphemism?
             How is the word pronounced?
             Give three euphemisms for fat.
             List five harsh words and a euphemism for each.
  2.  Have students write a short paper using euphemisms to
      describe a used car, a student with poor behavior to
      his mother, a funeral, or a set of clothes built for
      an overweight person.