Euphanisms

'It's what I call being discreet'

Mirandas mum (Patricia Hodge) does that too and gets her emphasis muddled up so she shouts the word she is supposed to be mouthing.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjVQOjBPJ_o

We had the silent mouthing when I was growing up, a conversation would be going on and suddenly the words would be mouthed rather than spoken.

felice I remember that and it was portrayed so brilliantly by Cissie and Ada (Roy Barraclough and Les Dawson)!

As an aside: I wonder how the OP got the word 'euphuism' into her post. I remembered the word from my schooldays but only had a vague memory of its meaning. Dictionary definition: 'an artificial, highly elaborate way of writing or speaking.' I think Euphues was a character in an Elizabethan romance. I imagine that our teacher was telling us not to confuse the word with 'euphemism

Haw abaaaat daaaan saaaaf then?

Is ‘oop north’ ok then?

Me too fofo

Yeah, ooop North is one that annoys me.

JaneA, I grew up at Elsecar, but there are a few there that I haven`t heard before.

Yes indeed farview or even better ‘live and let live’.

...each to their own!!!!!

I have been enjoying this post very much, DD just came downstairs and as they have, a Hamster, 2 Cats and a Dog I asked her if they were her Fur Babies.
She gave me one of those looks and asked me if that was really tea I was drinking.
We had the silent mouthing when I was growing up, a conversation would be going on and suddenly the words would be mouthed rather than spoken.

Well I'm guilty of having fur babies - my own real 'babies' have long since left home so our cats have replaced them in our lives in that we have to care for them and constantly worry about them

My reaction to being told someone has passed, is passed what? Driving test, exam, Go,

My family know that a curse has been laid upon them if they ever describe me as anything other than dead.

I think it’s upbringing. If I’d used euphemisms to refer to death I would have been pulled up sharply by my parents. On the other hand, some euphemisms for various bodily functions were used in my family, especially when we were children. When I was in hospital at the age of nine and a nurse asked if I had opened my bowels, I had no idea what she was talking about.

Definition & synonyms
“a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing.
synonyms:polite term, substitute, mild alternative, indirect term, understatement, underplaying, softening, politeness, genteelism, coy term.”

I suppose it depends on whether you fall on the ‘softening’ side of the term or think euphemisms are ‘coy’. Is it ‘coy’ or ‘softenimg’ if you say your dog has been ‘put to sleep’ as an example?

And it’s probably down to a person’s individual character; those who like to ‘call a spade a spade’ and those who might prefer to call it a digging tool.

As an aside: I wonder how the OP got the word 'euphuism' into her post. I remembered the word from my schooldays but only had a vague memory of its meaning. Dictionary definition: 'an artificial, highly elaborate way of writing or speaking.' I think Euphues was a character in an Elizabethan romance. I imagine that our teacher was telling us not to confuse the word with 'euphemism'.
Sorry - once a pedant always a pedant.

Love it Jane though as a lass who was brought up on Lancashire side of Pennines I do know most of these.

By gum JaneA I was born in Donnie and there are terms there I have never heard before.

Here is a guide to Yorkshire euphemisms, compiled for the benefit of EU doctors working in the NHS in Doncaster.
I think my favourite is
“Barnsley’s at home” = “I’m menstruating”
www.pennine-gp-training.co.uk/res/yorkshire_slang_glossary.pdf

Merlot

I am now reminded of the American phrase " bought the farm " it took me a long time to understand that.

To take this a bit off topic & keep it light hearted. I once had a colleague who talked in "management speak". So we were constantly running things up the flagpole & seeing who saluted them & keeping our ducks in a row. Strangely now she has left I rather miss our blue sky thinking!