Abstract:

The concept of euphemism, which exists in many languages, is a language phenomenon that occurs in Turkish as well, in order to prevent negative connotations and feelings such as shame, sin or fear that may arise during the use of some words. The purpose of using euphemisms is to use different or more beautiful words instead of words that may cause discomfort during expression. What is done here is not to cause incomprehensibility or to hide the meaning, but to make the related concept, the action more easily expressible, while preserving its meaning. The euphemisms, which are common and used in the language, have been evaluated from different perspectives by various researchers. In this study, the use of euphemism has been examined in the context of the names of the places people use to meet their excretory needs. The names of the places where this natural need, whose expression is shameful in the society, is met, are also stated implicitly and implicitly due to the discomfort felt during use. Over time, this implicit expression became the actual name of the word and changed in a continuous cycle when discomfort was felt again. This event in the language has brought with it the use of new words that correspond to the same concept, event or emotion. In this context, within the scope of the study, the words that have been used from the past to the present for the places that are commonly met with the word toilet are evaluated in the axis of the concept of euphemism.

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