71
conclude that not good has the semantic change in semantic narrowing process that makes the meaning change become less general.
12. Euphemism through borrowing
Data example: 12 a Oz: Why dont you take me seriously and give me some real work to do? Oh
yeah, I remember why, because I have a vagina. p.30
It is uttered by Oz. she gets so confused and mad to Jim. Therefore she grumbles like above expression that is only mentioned on her thought.
The use of euphemism in that sentence occurs in the term vagina. The word vagina stands for cunt. Cunt is strongly taboo or vulgar of
property for several reasons such as: a
Cunt principally means nasty and contemptible. b
Cunt connotes a sexually attractive girl or a mean old woman. c
Cunt places women as a sexual object. d
Cunt refers to female pudenda. e
Cunt locates at the lower abdomen that is so private.
To overcome this taboo term vagina, Latin language is taken to stand for cunt. The usage of foreign language especially Latin language is in
consideration of Latin as a formally educated for the young, innocent and women through out the word. Whereas foreign language gives standard English
72
with euphemism in the area of sex, body part and bodily effluvia. Cunt is a taboo associated with body part.
Even though there is a shift for the word vagina. It is because vagina is generally used by now especially in formal conversation to doctor. Previously,
vagina is a euphemistic borrowing terms replacing cunt. The usage of vagina refers to female pudenda with better and pleasant sense.
To support above description, the writer then explains the semantic components of vagina in sentence a:
Vagina: [FEMALE] [GENITALS] [PRIVATE PART] [COPULATION] [EXCREMENT]
If the term vagina in sentence a is replaced with the hidden reference, the sentence will be:
b Oz: Why don t you take me seriously and give me some real work to do? Oh
yeah, I remember why, because I have a cunt.
This sentence is acceptable, yet it is not a euphemism expression by the existence of cunt. The term cunt let us catch the meaning directly. That is also
shown from the components: Cunt: [FEMALE] [PRIVATE PLACE] [COPULATION] [EXCREMENT]
[IRRITATION] Vagina and cunt have similar components but the feature [IRRITATION].
This feature motivates cunt to be taboo to mention. To get more explanation, the writer then analyzes the semantic
components belonging to vagina and cunt
73
Vagina Cunt
+ Female
+ +
Genitals +
+ Private part
+ +
Copulation +
+ Excrement
+ -
Irritation +
Having the componential analysis, the word vagina and cunt share the semantic components [FEMALE] [GENITALS] [PRIV ATE PART]
[COPULATION] [EXCREMENT]. Those similar components allow vagina to replace cunt and to have synonym relation, whereas the word cunt has
additional component [IRRITATION] in which it is used to refer despicable person. This component differentiates vagina from cunt. It is because vagina
only refers to female genitals used to have copulation and excrement, while cunt not only refers to female pudenda along with the function but also to
show irritation. The word vagina undergoes looser synonym invoked the additional component of cunt.
The meaning vagina used to mean female pudenda to copulate and excrete. Meanwhile the new meaning vagina goes not only to female genital
along with the function to do copulation and excrement but also to the expression of irritation associated with shit. Therefore, vagina undergoes
Semantic broadening in which the new meaning is regarded more general or broader than the earlier one. in addition, the other proof is presented from the
number of component. The word vagina has only 5 [+] features, while cunt has 6 [+] features.
74
13. Abstraction
