Translate the text. Write out all euphemisms and make a vocabulary watch your language

The use of a pleasanter, less direct name for something thought to be unpleasant is called "euphemism". For centuries people have been giving new names to things in order to improve their appearance. In England, for example, in the Victorian era, the dead were the departed or no longer living, pregnant women were in an interesting condition, novelists wrote "d-d" for "damned" and trousers were unmentionables or inexpressibles.

In the present century thousands of euphemistic expressions can be found in the English language. For example, to pass away or to fall asleep are euphemisms for "to die"; under the weather means "ill"; “lame” – crippled or handicapped; not all there – "mentally subnormal"; little girl's room or restroom – "toilet"; bath(room) tissue – “toilet paper”; to be economical with the truth – "to lie"; correctional facility – “prison”; industrial action – "strike"; tired and emotional– "drunk".

There is a new tendency, nowadays, to use politically correct English – softer and less offensive ways of saying things. Speaking about a bald or balding person we could say "thin on top", "with receding hair", "with hair loss", "with hair fall". But for a sensitive soul all these words would be offensive. Politically correct hair disadvantaged has been suggested.

A fat person is big, with big bones, differently sized/weighted or a person with an alternative body image. People who have partial sight in one eye or are blind were called unseeing, and now are visually impaired.

If you call pensioners "old people", you may upset them. They are third age or senior citizens. Those aged 40 to 65 are middlescent. Jobless actors are resting. Nowadays many people use second-hand things.

Criminals prefer to be called offenders, clients of correctional system, or people, enjoying temporal hospitality from the state. A prison is now a correctional facility, and prison guards – correctional offices or custodians.

Economists have tried to discourage the use of the phrase “underdeveloped nations” and encourage the more accurate phrase “developing nations” in order to suggest an ongoing process. They also prefer “period of negative economic growth” to “recession” or “crisis”.

Direct colourful words are replaced by dull, lifeless, but politically correct ones: ethically different instead of "corrupt", differently advantaged or underprivileged instead of "poor"; rough sleepers instead of “homeless”; differently interesting instead of "boring".

Euphemisms are also used to give a new look to an old occupation. Thus, many butchers nowadays call themselves meat technologists; barbers are hair stylists or beauticians; undertakers are funeral furnishers or funeral directors; garbage men are sanitation workers; prostitutes are sex workers.

P.C. means politically correct or political correctness and it refers to a change that is taking place in American English. Webster’s dictionary defines politically correct as “marked by or adhering to a typically progressive orthodoxy on issues involving race, gender, sexual affinity or ecology”.

In short, P.C. represents a debate between Americans about how to use our language in regards to race and sex, i.e. “to discourage overt racism and sexism”. This may be an important issue to you, speakers of English, to be aware of in dealing with native speakers.

In the 1990s, you should watch your language while speaking to or mentioning various minorities. Some of them are very sensitive about the words you use. You may offend, for example, a black person if you call him "negro". A man of colour or a person of black race is no good either. You should say African-American. Indians are indigenous people, the first nation, or Native-Americans, - excepting Native Alaskans. There are also Spanish Americans, Italian Americans, and Asian Americans. No “illegal aliens” – only “undocumented residents”!

If your neighbours are alcoholics, call them problem drinkers or persons with drink problems.

Word choices that ignore or minimize the presence and contributions of one sex in society – at home or school or the workplace, in business or professional spheres, in social or personal relationships – may be considered sexist. The very word "sex" – clearly evocative of an unequivocal demarcation between men and women – has been replaced by the pale and neutral "gender”.