Once we find out what a euphemism is synonymous with, does it become just as painful as being told the original word/phrase the euphemism stands for? What are some examples?
by 
Egao No Genki
ANSWERS: 2
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That's called the euphemism treadmill. The classic examples are: 1. Fool -> Simpleminded -> Slow witted -> Retarded -> Mentally Handicapped -> Mentally Challenged 2. Crippled -> Lame -> Disabled -> Handicapped -> Physically Challenged -> Specially Abled and the odd thing is, crippled people didn't have a problem being called crippled, but they really disliked disabled, and can't stand how patronizing "physically challenged" is. And as any fool or dog knows, it's not the name you call them, it's how you say it that makes it loving or spiteful.
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Yes! Or even much moreso. Altho' some folks prefer their reality sugar-coated, no one does anyone any favors by masking reality (unless you're dealing with a child or some adult who's mentally or emotionally impaired). How is one to develop adequate coping skills for future disappointments in such a case? Imho, its only a matter of degree from outright lying. Thanks for the question!
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