Circumlocution is indirect or ambiguous speech used for various reasons, such as an inability to remember a word, social reasons, or to deceive. It can be used in euphemisms or double entendres and is common in politics and law. It can also be used to mislead or deceive in everyday situations.
Circumlocution is an indirect or ambiguous way of saying things. For example, saying “a certain long-eared animal with a thing for carrots” instead of “rabbit” is circumlocutory. Circumlocution may also be called ambage, circumduction, circumvolution, periphrasis, or periphrasis. There are many different kinds of circumlocution and many different reasons for speaking indirectly.
One of the simplest reasons for using circumlocution is an inability to remember the correct word for something. This often happens to second language learners, but is also characteristic of some types of aphasia, speech loss due to brain damage. It should be noted that most people experience this phenomenon occasionally, even in their native language. Circumlocution is often an effective means of getting the point across in such situations.
Circumlocution can also be used for social reasons, such as to avoid saying something unfortunate or hurtful. The use of periphrased speech to avoid unfortunate or taboo words is a form of euphemism. Sometimes, euphemism is simply the substitution of one word for another, but in other cases, many words are used to describe something instead of using the actual word for it, which may be considered offensive, upsetting, or unfortunate. For example, you may say that someone “died” or “is no longer with us” instead of saying that person is “dead,” to avoid upsetting your listeners.
Circumlocution can also be used to speak ambiguously or equivocally. A person may use ambiguous circumlocutionary speech for effect, such as in a humorous double entendre, or to fit a certain sentiment into the rhyme and meter of a poem. However, circumlocutionary speech can also be used to deceive or misinform. Politicians and lawyers are often accused of this kind of periphrasis, because it can sometimes be very difficult to determine which side of a political issue one should argue simply by listening to its proponents, or by figuring out the finer points in a legal contract.
However, circumlocutionary speech with the intention of deceiving is not limited to groups of people who use specialized speech in a professional manner. Such examples of misunderstanding can be encountered in almost any situation. For example, a misleading person might say, “I might not have been exactly being honest” instead of directly admitting to a lie.
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