B. Brief or lengthy duration of the referent (action)

1. gratify, please, exalt, content, satisfy, delight;

2. cry, weep, sob;

3. glance, gaze, glare, stare;

4. tremble, shiver, shudder, shake;

5. worship, love, like, adore, admire;

6. talk, say, tell, speak;

7. roar, shout, cry. bellow, yell;

8. astound, surprise, amaze, astonish;

9. cold, cool, chilly;

10. want, long, yearn, desire, wish;

11. vast, immense, large.

7. Comment on the stylistic usage of the synonyms. Point out euphemistic, archaic, poetical, and dialectal synonyms.

girl — lass

trousers — unmentionables

pretty — bonny

possible — feasible

shut up! — hush!

toothpowder — dentifrice

learned — erudite

good-bye — farewell

stomach — belly

gay — blithe

foolish — unwise

evening — eventide

lodger — paying guest

yes — aye

also — eke

musician — minstrel

lake — mere

country — clime

fighting man — warrior

bomb — device

8. Analyse the reasons for using the euphemisms given below and classify them according to the following groups:

a) superstitious taboos (devil — deuce, dickens);

b) social and moral taboos (to spit — to expectorate, pantaloons — nether garments);

c) the need to soften painful news (to die — to pass away, to be no more);

d) using a learned word which sounds less familiar, hence less offensive (overeating — indigestion).

Translate them into Russian.

To eat — to partake of food, to partake of refreshment, to refresh oneself.

To die — to breathe one's last, to depart this life, to pay one's debt to nature, to go to one's last home, to go the way of all flesh, to kick the bucket, to hop the twig, to join the majority.

Mad — deranged, insane.

Cemetery — memorial park, necropolis.

Sweat — perspiration.

Foolish — unwise.

God — Dear me! Oh, my! Good gracious! Golly! Gosh!

Trousers — inexpressibles, inexplicables, indescribables, unmentionables, unwhisperables, one's mustn't-mention-'ems, one's sit-upons, sine qua non, drawers, pants.

Pawn-shop — loan-office.

Pregnant — in the family way, in an interesting (delicate) condition.

Toilet — water-closet, retiring room, public comfort station, ladies and gents, loo.

Find the euphemistic substitutes for the following words: Write them out into two columns: A. Euphemistic substitutes for social taboos. B. Euphemistic substitutes for superstitious taboos.

Die

drunk

prison

mad

liar

devil

lavatory

god

pregnant

stupid.

10. Compare the following words and sentences and say which of them sound more politically correct. Explain why.

Chairman — chairperson, spokesperson.

Cameraman — cameraoperator.

Foreman — supervisor.

Postman — mail carrier.

Authoress / ladywriter — author, writer.

Headmistress — teacher.

Airline stewardess — flight attendant.

What does he want? — What do they want?

Man / mankind is polluting the Earth. — Humankind is polluting the Earth.

No man has ever done it before. — No one has ever done it before.

This is the largest man-made lake in Europe. — This is the largest artificial lake in Europe.

A manager has a duty towards his employees. — A manager has a duty towards his or her employees.

The fall in prices is great news for housewives. — The fall in prices is great news for consumers / shoppers.

A mother should never leave her baby in the house, she might hurt herself. — Parents should never leave their children in the house; they might hurt themselves.

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