Pre-Service Teachers’ Reasons For Using Euphemisms In Classroom Interactions: A Qualitative Content Analysis Study

Euphemism, the substitution of unpleasant expressions with less embarrassing terms to mitigate the negativity of the message, is one the functions of language which can positively influence both the teachers’ discourse and students’ learning. This study was set up to investigate the pre-service teachers’ reasons for using euphemistic expressions. A purposive sample of 78 female students at Farhangian University of Ahvaz, were asked to complete a euphemism survey. The survey consisted of 40 items, asking the participants to select between two choices of euphemistic/noneuphemistic expressions as well as to provide potential reasons for their decision. Frequency counts and percentage rates revealed that participants had failed to choose many of the euphemistic expressions implying they needed instruction. Content analysis of the reasons provided by the participants revealed that cognitive and social implications were involved in the use of euphemistic expressions including attempts to introduce and maintain a positive face of the self (establishing positive relations, respecting the self, attempting to be polite), support for the other (e.g., respecting the other, avoiding offence, mitigating negative influence, inducing confidence in other, avoiding judgement, and showing sympathy for the vulnerable), and personal aesthetic reasons (e.g., conformity with social media, and avoiding taboo words). Subthemes were also identified explaining the participants’ reasons for preferring direct non-euphemistic expressions such as clarity of the message, punishing the unpleasant other, and personal cognitive judgement. Implications for the inclusion of euphemisms lessons in teacher education curricula to enhance teacher-student interactions are discussed.