Hello everyone, I am your trainer Ria and in today’s class we are going to talk about
softer and milder expressions in English.
{ Using softer and milder expressions in English}
Yes, we are going to talk about…. In actuality
which is called Euphemism. What are they? Have you come across situations where you
are talking to somebody and it becomes little awkward, okay. It becomes a little awkward
because you are going to talk about the truth about somebody else but it might be a little
harsh, for e.g.A friend of yours or a friend of your brother, okay. He was at his workplace
and he was caught , how do you say … caught, cheating okay, caught cheating and you want
to relay message to your friend, you are talking about something and all of a sudden this subject
comes up and you say that, instead of saying that – he was caught cheating, you can always
say that – Oh! I understand that my brother's friend was actually caught in a professional
foul okay. That is much more milder way of saying something instead of just bluntly saying
that – he was caught cheating, you can always say that – he was involved in a professional
foul. Now, that is a much nicer, much milder way or soft way of saying something. You might
come across a situation like that. So, In today’s class we will talk about phrases which are
milder and softer and you can use them in your conversation. Let’s look at the first
one – He has been doing time, he has been doing time. Now, What does that mean? Okay,
the first phrase means that, he has been in prison, okay. That he has been in prison.
Now, maybe some elder person whom you saw or somebody that is on the street and you
want to say that person was probably convicted in some crime and he was sent to jail. No,
it is not a nice way of saying that, you know that he has been to jail, that is really a
kind of blunt way of saying something. So, in a polite manner you might say – he has
been doing time. He has been doing time. So, that is a proper way of saying, that someone
was in jail or someone is in jail right now, okay serving his time. So, instead of saying
that- he is in jail, you say – he has been doing time.
Let’s look at the second sentence. She is light fingered. So, what her fingers are light?
No, maybe in your office you have come across a person, who has been taking things from
your desk, okay. Someday a stapler is missing, someday something else is missing, okay. Instead
of going outright to her and saying – I am accusing you of stealing something from
my desk or you are a outright thief. Instead of saying that, which is really not acceptable
at workplaces, okay it is much better to use a polite sentence. You can just warn your
other colleagues, you can just say – Just be careful of Cathy, She is usually around
your desk , She is little light fingered. Instead of saying – She is a outright thief
you can say that she is light fingered, so that, means that a person is a thief or you
know tries to pick up things when he/she is around. Let’s look at another phrase. No
longer with us. Okay, instead of saying that, he left the job okay, he left that place,
you can just say that – He is no longer with us . Now you are in a company and a person
is probably… he is given a letter to go, instead of saying he is taken off the job,
you know…. He was asked to go, instead of saying that, it kind of draws a very bad picture
of that person. You can say – He is no longer with us, that is a proper way or a more better
way to say it or in another situation where we can say that, a person is – No longer
with us, is when probably, when he or she has passed away okay, he has died . Instead
of saying – He has died, you can say – He is no longer with us. So, No longer with us,
you can say that the person is not associated with you at at the moment , isn’t associated
with you or has died okay. So, Instead of saying that He has died, you say No longer
with us. I am just going to powder my nose. Oh! Well
you are in a lovely restaurant and you are with, I know some very high profile people
friends of yours and all of a sudden you need to use the washroom, So, the table is laid
with lovely food and instead of just standing up in your lovely gown, you say – I want
to use the toilet. It is a little awkward! Okay. I know … it’s the truth, I mean
we do need to use the toilet but it will be much polite if you stand up regally and say
– I need to powder my nose. It is well understood that you need to use the washroom, So ladies
that is what we are going to do, we will just say – I need to powder my nose, it means
we just need to go to the washroom. Guys please omit it, don’t say that , I need to powder
my nose, when you want to go to the washroom. Okay, So yes that is how we are going to use
for ladies that is we need to powder our nose, when we have to go to the washroom.
She is in the family way- That’s a nice way of saying itokay. So, you see a lady who
is walking by okay, and obviously we have respect for ladies who are pregnant okay.
Somebody who is carrying a child, we usually don’t bluntly say that – Oh! Look she
is pregnant, or she is six months pregnant, instead of saying that, you can always say
– She is in the family way. Isn’t it a much nicer way of saying things. You sister
might be carrying a child or maybe your friend is carrying a child, instead of saying – She
is pregnant, you can always say – She is in the family way. Now, that means – She
is pregnant and the other phrases to say, may be you can say that – She is got buns
in the oven. Isn’t is a lovely way to describe when someone is pregnant, okay. She has buns
in the oven, Now that’s one way of saying – She is in her family way.
Let’s look at another one – Down and Out . Now, what is down and out ? Down and out
is actually a homeless person. When you are talking about homeless, it can be used as
an adjective, it can also be used as a noun . Now, let’s see probably , you are walking
by with your friends and you are walking down the street, you see a person sitting out there
and probably they don’t have money and they wearing torn clothes and you know that the
person is homeless. So, instead of saying that – He is a homeless or we should give
some money to this homeless. Instead of saying homeless, you can say – Down and Out, okay.
You can use it as an adjective as well as a noun. As an adjective you can say – He
is down and out, okay. He is down and out, that is one way of describing a homeless person,
or we can say A down and out as a noun. A down and out has just walked into that house
looking for food, okay. That is another way of saying … using the word – Down and
out, whether in noun form or an adjective . He made an honest woman of her, really!
Okay, this is used when you are talking about somebody when a person was getting married
to somebody. So, if a guy obviously.... if a person gets married to a woman, so what
you say – He made an honest woman of her. I really don’t like this phrase okay. I
am just putting it out there so that you can understand, but why would you say – He made
an honest woman out of her, I mean if she is unmarried, Is she dishonest then? Well!
It’s a very funny one – He made an honest woman out of her. So, Instead of saying that
he married her.. Okay, that is a funy way ... you can say that – He made an honest
woman of her. Okay, She passed away, Instead of saying that someone has died. Okay instead
of saying , someone is dead or died, let’s just use this phrase – She passed away okay,
instead of saying that somebody is dead or my grandmother .... my grandmother is dead
or her grandfather died two days ago, instead of saying that , that’s kind of awful, not
really awful, it’s the truth but it’s not a very nice way of putting the words , okay.
So, instead of saying that – He died two days ago, you can say – He passed away two
days ago, okay. There’s another phrase, it’s interesting. I will just tell you for
your knowledge, for your knowledge that is .... pushing up daisies. It’s an interesting
one , why would we say that? But, I will just tell you for your knowledge only. You can
say – pushing up daisies, okay but the best .... the best one is – She passed away .. It
is the right way of saying, if you want to .... want to tell somebody has died. Also
remember that, someone has died , you need to go to that persons place or offer your
condolences, okay that is probably your sympathies. Your sympathies are with that family, you
can say – I am offering my condolences. Okay, Let’s look at the last one – Public
conveniences. So, have you ever walked up to somebody and said – Could you tell me
where the ... where the public toilet is ? The public toilet. This sounds a little rude .... I
know.... I know we all go to the toilet...but.... it’s not kinda nice to say that – I want
to go to the public toilet. Okay, so instead of saying that, you can say – Could you
tell me where the public convenience is ? Okay, so it is the name for public toilet... instead
of saying that , you can say – Could you please, show me the way to the public convenience?
And the other person would say – Yes, please just walk down this lane, you will find it
on your right, okay that is another way of saying – Could I use the public convenience?
Or Could you tell me the way to the public convenience? Instead of saying the public
toilet. So, I hope you have liked these expressions, they were interesting, okay. He has been doing
time. She is light fingered. No longer with us. I am just going to powder my nose. She
is in the family way. Down and out. Okay, being an adjective and a noun. He made an
honest woman of her. ( Not very nice) She passed away and public conveniences. I hope
you have enjoyed those expressions and I hope you will find some more expressions that are
much milder and much more polite to use, than using harsh words when you are talking in
English or you have your conversation with someone. Okay, So ... so i will come back
with another lesson next time, till then you take care. Good Bye!!!