Dysphemism uses negative words to give a negative slant to a sentence, while euphemism uses positive words to give a positive slant. Dysphemisms are used to express a strong negative viewpoint, while euphemisms are more appropriate in polite society. Over time, some euphemisms become dysphemisms.
Words can have certain meanings and can also have positive or negative slant. Dysphemism describes situations where a word with a negative connotation is used instead of other words that could easily fit into the sentence and which give a more negative slant to the meaning of the whole sentence. This word substitution reflects the attitude of the speaker and shows that he feels negatively about the subject.
A euphemism is a term that gives a positive slant to the thing being referred to. When a man calls a girl “thrifty,” for example, he means she doesn’t spend money freely, but she’s also saying she’s good with money. This is a positive slant to the girl’s description as she is complimenting her on her ability to control her money.
Dysphemism is the opposite of euphemism. Instead of the man portraying the girl positively, a dysphemism portrays her negatively. Instead of using “thrifty,” he would describe her as “mean,” “mean,” or “narrow.” This tells the audience about her that she sees her control over money as a bad thing.
People choose to use a dysphemism precisely because the connotation of the word is negative. This may be because the speaker genuinely thinks the situation is bad or because they are in a comfortable, informal social group. A dysphemist also tends to be more forceful in making a point than neutral words or euphemisms as they express a severely negative slant and emotional viewpoint on a subject. When a woman who escapes a bombing raid in a civil war, for example, refers to the attackers as “terrorists,” she is telling her audience that she feels more strongly negative about the bombers than someone who calls the attackers “fighters for freedom” or simply “rebels”.
In polite society, euphemisms are more appropriate in conversation. Neutral terms are also acceptable, such as a man describing a girl as “careful of her money”, although when a formal meeting is discussing somewhat taboo subjects, such as promiscuity, then the euphemism of a term such as “Don Juan ” is more acceptable. In some cases, terms that were previously acceptable as euphemisms in polite society, such as “coloured” to describe a person of African ancestry, become dysphemisms over time.
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