Pragmatic Functions Of Euphemisms In Political Rhetoric: A Contrastive Study Between Indo-European And Altaic Language Families
Abstract
Euphemisms are linguistic tools that serve to soften, obscure, or reframe sensitive or controversial issues. In political rhetoric, they play a crucial role in shaping public perception, maintaining face, and exercising power. This paper examines the pragmatic functions of euphemisms in political discourse within two major language families: Indo-European (e.g., English, Russian) and Altaic (e.g., Turkish, Uzbek). Through a contrastive analysis, the study identifies both universal and language-family-specific uses of euphemisms in political rhetoric. The findings reveal patterns in how euphemisms are employed to avoid directness, mitigate responsibility, and manipulate public opinion, with notable differences influenced by cultural and socio-political contexts.
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