Since I studied English in college and have a career in writing, I have always been fascinated by language and how it has evolved. It's amazing to read Shakespeare or Chaucer and think about how different it is from our way of communicating today.
But one aspect of our language has always been of particular interest-- the euphemism.
When did "having gone to feed the fishes" becomes a way of describing death. Why was the term "roll in the hay" invented for, well, "making whoopee?" Why is it better to say "big boned" than to call someone overweight or fat?
Euphemisms have become ingrained into our language and we often don't think about the origins of the phrases or thought processes behind them. But a new book written by Ralph Keyes called "Euphemania" explores the phenomenon in detail.
Keyes believes that euphemisms offer insight into a society's fears and concerns. When a certain phrase becomes commonplace, it signals that what it represents is somehow taboo.
"Euphemania" traces the history and origins of euphemisms as well as looking at geographical locations and historical significance for several of our most-commonly-used sayings.
I definitely think this sounds like an interesting read. Another one to add to the list.