# Euphemisms in other languages **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 4, 2012, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/euphemisms-in-other-languages/642969 "2012-12-04T17:00:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![leahcim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b4bc9f/32.png) [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/euphemisms-in-other-languages/642969/21 "2012-12-05T15:04:49Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > What does this mean? Why, “the little death” of course. Also known as: An orgasm. ---
**Author:** ![Donnerwetter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Donnerwetter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Donnerwetter)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/euphemisms-in-other-languages/642969/22 "2012-12-05T15:16:33Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > Frankly, as a native German speaker I can’t think of a situation where this was the case. Can you give an example? I only know it as a neutral term as e. g. used in medical contexts. The expression is by no means vulgar, but isn’t neutral either and definitely not an euphemism. It is descriptive. For example, you wouldn’t use “Wasser lassen” when you’re participating in a day-long assessment center for a new job or you’re in a meeting of your local church council with your pastor and some elderly ladies. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/euphemisms-in-other-languages/642969/23 "2012-12-05T15:30:44Z")
> [@Donnerwetter](#): > > The expression is by no means vulgar, but isn’t neutral either and definitely not an euphemism. It is descriptive. > > For example, you wouldn’t use “Wasser lassen” when you’re participating in a day-long assessment center for a new job or you’re in a meeting of your local church council with your pastor and some elderly ladies. I see, you’re right that it doesn’t fit the definition for euphemism, and that it would be unusual to use in situations like you described, although not “rude” IMHO (though the old ladies and the pastor surely would think you’re funny if you used it). ---
**Author:** ![gracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@gracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gracer)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/euphemisms-in-other-languages/642969/24 "2012-12-05T15:36:59Z")
> [@sweeteviljesus](#): > > Well, when I meant euphemistic words, I was thinking of things like “urinate”, “menstruate”, and “fornicate”. These may be considered a bit frank in English, but they are not considered vulgar. A lot of these words come to us from Latin via French, rather than from English’s Germanic roots. Is there are similar situation in other languages? > > Thanks, > Rob I don’t think of those as euphemisms. They are just normal, non-rude words. A euphemism actively tries to conceal the rudeness or inappropriateness of the action. So instead of “I am urinating!” you would say “I am currently somewhat indisposed”. In this case, “indisposed” could mean anything, but you know what it means. So the speaker has managed to get the meaning across without referring to the icky bodily function. “I’m urinating” is just a slightly less vulgar way of saying “I taking a piss”, but not a euphemism, AFAIK. ---
**Author:** ![sweeteviljesus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@sweeteviljesus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweeteviljesus)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/euphemisms-in-other-languages/642969/25 "2012-12-05T15:39:26Z")
Well, be that as it may, I was wondering if other languages were similar in this respect. Rob ---
**Author:** ![Donnerwetter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Donnerwetter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Donnerwetter)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/euphemisms-in-other-languages/642969/26 "2012-12-05T15:54:36Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > I see, you’re right that it doesn’t fit the definition for euphemism, and that it would be unusual to use in situations like you described, although not “rude” IMHO (though the old ladies and the pastor surely would think you’re funny if you used it). I agree. “Rude” is the wrong word. But it could be, in a number of situations, be judged as lacking, to some degree, the formality which would have been expected. ---
**Author:** ![gracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@gracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gracer)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/euphemisms-in-other-languages/642969/27 "2012-12-05T16:11:53Z")
> [@sweeteviljesus](#): > > Well, be that as it may, I was wondering if other languages were similar in this respect. > > Rob Ah, ok. Well, in Dutch: Urineren - more formal than “plassen”. Menstrueren - more formal than “ongesteld zijn” (and more accurate) In Portuguese: Urinar - more formal than “mijar” Menstruar - more formal than…uhm… euphemisms and colloquialisms. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d26b3c/32.png) [@Johnny\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Angel)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/euphemisms-in-other-languages/642969/28 "2012-12-06T08:25:05Z")
I’ve been looking at this copy of _O, Loca Tu Ibis_, a fairly shabby translation of _Oh, the Places You’ll Go_ into Latin. Although there’s little to criticize in the straightforward translation of the title, I am amused that loca can mean a woman’s genitals, and the verb ‘to go’ can carry the same import as the English word ‘come’. Many of our literal sexual terms come from Latin euphemisms. _Penis_ once meant ‘tail.’ _Vāgīna_ was a sheath for a sword or dagger. _Ānus_, which originally just meant ‘ring’ was used so often to refer to the asshole that even by classical times they had to start using the diminutive _ānnulus_ to refer to other kinds of rings. _Fornix_ was the Latin term for arches, which were often used on the first floors of buildings and these floors so frequently housed brothels that the Romans switched to the term _arcus_ for the architectural feature and _fornificātiō_ went on to become an English word for sex. _Facere_, ‘to make or to do’ can mean to piss, shit, fuck or simply substitute for any other indelicate verb. _Pecten_, ‘comb’ was used to refer to the pubic hair, and evolved into the Spanish word _pendejo_. ---
**Author:** ![valentamaunascheggia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/2bfe46/32.png) [@valentamaunascheggia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/valentamaunascheggia)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2013, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/euphemisms-in-other-languages/642969/29 "2013-03-11T16:24:02Z")
> [@sweeteviljesus](#): > > Well, be that as it may, I was wondering if other languages were similar in this respect. > > Rob Hi Rob, i’m italian and I confirm you that in Italy we have the same euphemistic use in those fields.. 🙂 to urinate/defecate: “andare in bagno”-\> “I have to go to the toilette” to have sex: “andare a letto” etc.. etc all languages uses euphemistic words to say something in a politer way.. other arguments are so forbidden in a language that the speakers use to paraphrase it.. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2013, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/euphemisms-in-other-languages/642969/30 "2013-03-11T17:39:07Z")
Les papillions d’amour? Le mot de Cambron? ---
**Author:** ![Svejk\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@Svejk\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Svejk_1)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2013, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/euphemisms-in-other-languages/642969/31 "2013-03-11T18:06:16Z")
Yes. Yes, they do. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2013, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/euphemisms-in-other-languages/642969/32 "2013-03-12T00:28:31Z")
**Johnny Angel** , I submit for you the artist and his tools: _Primum opifex, altus prosator, ad terram viviparam et cuncti- 14 potentem sine ullo pudore nec venia, suscepto pluviali atque discinctis 15 perizomatis, natibus nudis uti nati fuissent, sese adpropinquans, 16 flens et gemens, in manum suam evacuavit_ (highly prosy, crap in his 17 hand, sorry!), _postea, animale nigro exoneratus, classicum pulsans, 18 stercus proprium, quod appellavit deiectiones suas, in vas olim 19 honorabile tristitiae posuit, eodem sub invocatione fratrorum gemino- 20 rum Medardi et Godardi laete ac melliflue minxit, psalmum qui 21 incipit: Lingua mea calamus scribae velociter scribentis: magna voce 22 cantitans_ (did a piss, says he was dejected, asks to be exonerated), 23 \*demum ex stercore turpi cum divi Orionis iucunditate mixto, cocto, 24 frigorique exposito, encaustum sibi fecit indelibile \*(faked O’Ryan’s, 25 the indelible ink). ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2013, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/euphemisms-in-other-languages/642969/33 "2013-03-12T08:59:38Z")
> [@sweeteviljesus](#): > > Well, when I meant euphemistic words, I was thinking of things like “urinate”, “menstruate”, and “fornicate”. These may be considered a bit frank in English, but they are not considered vulgar. A lot of these words come to us from Latin via French, rather than from English’s Germanic roots. Is there are similar situation in other languages? > > Thanks, > Rob Like **gracer** , I wouldn’t think of those as euphemistic, but technical. Pee is not the technical term, the one you’d hear a doctor say, but it’s also not “the kind of word you wouldn’t use in front of your dear grandmother”. And yes, other languages have technical terms too. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/euphemisms-in-other-languages/642969.md?page=1)