The socio-pragmatic analysis of Amharic Euphemisms of women

Abstract

This study investigated the socio-pragmatic analysis of Amharic euphemisms of women within the frameworks of politeness and relevance theories. The investigation was carried out using a descriptive-qualitative methodology. To accomplish the objective, data were gathered from Amharic native speakers using semi-structured interviews, focus group discussion, and introspection. Hence, using snowball and purposive sampling techniques, informants of elders and youths, males and females, educated and uneducated, urban and rural residences were chosen. The data were analyzed based on the research objectives. Results show that native Amharic speakers believed that it was improper to discuss women’s issues in public, including virginity, pregnancy, menstruation, delivery, abortion, menopause, wife, concubine, and prostitute, at the research areas’ churches, mosques, homes, schools, and hospital realms. Instead, they employed different euphemistic construction mechanisms. In addition, people in the study settings used various euphemistic construction techniques including metaphor, metonymy, idiom, borrowing, circumlocution, overstatement, and understatement. The results also show that research participants in the study locations used a variety of euphemistic formation strategies to avoid taboo utterances, to maintain face, and to demonstrate respect.

Keywords:

• socio-pragmatics
• taboos
• euphemisms
• figure of speech
• women’s issues
• euphemistic construction strategies and face

Public interest statement

The Socio-Pragmatic Study of Amharic Euphemisms of Women is discussed in this paper, which is appropriate for non-specialist readers for a number of reasons. First of all, since women’s issues are amenable to discussion in every setting, the subject is sensitive to everyone. The title, Socio-Pragmatic Study of Amharic Euphemisms of Women, replaces the crude, direct, unpleasant, unattractive, and improper terms. People from all backgrounds are therefore curious to hear desirable, charming, and pleasant expressions. Also, because the researchers employed IPA (International Phonetic Alphabets) to translate the Amharic phrases so that they would be accessible to all non-specialist readers, everyone may comprehend the euphemistic statements of women. The researchers also translated the euphemistic terms literally and used their conventional or contextual meaning. In conclusion, because the researchers used the International Phonetic Alphabet for larger communications, even readers who are not experts can grasp the text.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Bamlaku Endegena Zegeye

Bamlaku Endegena Zegeye. I earned BA in English from Debre Markos University, Ethiopia and an MA in linguistics, from Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia. I am the manuscript’s primary author or its corresponding author. I am a PhD student at Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia studying applied linguistics. Socio-pragmatics is the main topic of my research endeavors. I gave presentations on Amharic euphemisms at numerous national and international research conferences. I have received certificates for taking part in several research conferences. Upon the publication of two of my articles derived from my dissertations, I will have earned my doctorate.

Endalew Assefa Temesegen

Endalew Assefa is the second writer. He earned his PhD in descriptive linguistics. He is an associate professor of linguistics. He is my advisor. His primary area of study is descriptive linguistics, especially morphology.

Samuel Handamo Godisso

Samuel Handamo is the third author. He earned his PhD in sociolinguistics. He is an assistant professor of linguistics. He is also my advisor. Sociolinguistics is the main area of his studies.