The Adventures of Pinocchio was written in 1883 by Carlo Collodi, an Italian writer. The story begins in a village near the city of Florence, where a wood carver named Geppetto, makes a wooden marionette which he calls Pinocchio. The puppet becomes animated, and Pinocchio turns out to be a rascally rogue whose nose grows when he acts disobediently. Geppetto would like Pinocchio to work, be good, and study, like a good boy should do. But Pinocchio continually gets himself in trouble and his nose keeps on growing larger. Following the pattern of many literary heroes, Pinocchio descends into hell, has a transformation, and is reborn into a new life. At the end of the adventures Pinocchio becomes willing to provide for Geppetto and begin a life of work, being good, and studying. Pinocchio is turned into a real boy. It is a story of moral transformation through personal growth.
In the Disney version, the Blue Fairy says to Pinocchio, “You will only be a real boy once you have proved yourself to be brave, truthful, and unselfish.” To achieve this metamorphosis Pinocchio needs some guidance. In the Disney movie Jiminy Cricket [who is really a grasshopper] becomes his comical and wise conscience. Pinocchio ignores all Jiminy’s advice and, paying for his sins, is transformed into a donkey. Then Pinocchio drowns in the act of saving Geppetto from Monstro the whale and thereby proves to be brave, truthful, and unselfish. The Blue Fairy raises Pinocchio from the dead and turns him into a real flesh and blood boy.
The original book and the Disney movie both imply that eventually a good conscience with personal growth can lead into a transformed life. Jiminy Cricket, the conscience of Pinocchio, is a euphemism, as Jiminy Cricket [J.C.] really stands for Jesus Christ [J.C.]. If you pay attention to J.C. eventually you will transform your life into having a good moral character.
Euphemism is the substitution of an agreeable or inoffensive expression for one that may offend or suggest something unpleasant. The word has been used in the English language since 1681.
Euphemisms can take different forms. The substituted word might be viewed as a less coarse choice, as when someone may say dang or darn instead of damn or damned. Or it might replace a word viewed as insulting to a religious figure, such as gad, gadzooks, gosh for God, or gee, jeepers, jeez for Jesus. A euphemism may also consist of an indirect softening phrase that is substituted for the straightforward naming of something unpleasant. Thus, people are “let go” rather than “fired”; civilians killed in war described as “collateral damage”; or someone who has died as having “kicked the bucket,” “passed away, “given up the ghost,” or “joined one’s ancestors.”
Euphemism comes from the Greek word euphemos, which means uttering sounds of good omen or auspicious. The first part of that root is the prefix ‘eu,’ meaning good. The second part is phemos, meaning speech. This is like the word eulogy, which in Greek means ‘a good word.’ Euphemism is borrowed from Medieval Latin euphēmismus, borrowed from the Greek word euphemismos meaning substitution of an auspicious word for an inauspicious one.
Here are a few other common euphemisms. The car isn't used, it's certified pre-owned. She isn't sick, she's under the weather. He's not poor, he's economically disadvantaged. He didn't break up with her, he needed some space. She's not a liar, she's just creative with the truth.
I hear lots of things on the golf course, some of them euphemisms. But I also hear the unadulterated version of swearing and cursing. I’m not sure it really makes any difference.
John would like to know if anyone has a sincere interest in a relevant word that he could possibly research for an upcoming column. If so, please send your requests to wordwisdom2021@gmail.com. Words will be selected according to relevance and research criteria. We cannot confirm that all words will be used.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
