VOCABULARY

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Doggedly: in a determinated way

Dogged = stubborn

Dog: Perro

English like to believe and will often doggedly insist that social-status considerations play no part in their choice of car.

Upwardly-mobile: person moving up in society

For example, upwardly-mobile English executives claimed that they bought their cars for their excellent German engineering.

Drag sth/sb: pull sth/sb along the ground

Drag: touch the ground

She dragged the large chair into the room

I did not know that my scarf was dragging on the ground.

Banger: informal car: tartana

We are sentimentally attached to our rusty banger

Quirky: unconventional

Quirk: eccentric characteristic

She has many quirks but she is not crazy

To Gauge: to measure; to estimate

The English will also gauge your social rank by the appearance and condition of your car.

Broadcast: to transmit; to tell everybody (divulgar, difundir)

She broadcast(past) her classmate's secret to the whole class

Pop off (dysphemism: estirar la pata) Po off is a colloquial way of saying to die

Pass away (euphemism: fallecer)

Overlooked: not realized as important; not notice (in this context: fail to notice)

His name has been mentioned in connection with the prize for many years but he has always been overlooked

Bookmaker: a person who takes bets

US author had been the bookmaker's favourite for the award

Burgeoning: emerging, appearing, developing, coming out... growing, flourishing

The burgeoning feminist movement saw it as a pioneering work

Accolade: the awarding of praise (el reconocimiento de un elogio) an acknowledgement of merit

The prize considered by many to be the world's highest accolade (recognition, praise, award for writers....)

Minion: subordinate coworker. It can have the derogatory meaning of a servile agent or it can mean a favourite servant (Lessing probably means the former)

Blossom: flourish

Burden = load : cargar

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Dysphemism is the use of a harsh, more offensive word instead of one considered less harsh. Dysphemism is often contrasted with euphemism. Dysphemisms are generally used to shock or offend.

Examples:

These are examples of dysphemism:

Snail mail for postal mail,

Cancer stick in reference to a cigarette.

Egghead for genius.

Worm food for dead.

Pig for policeman.

Bullshit for lies.

Dead tree edition for the paper version of a publication that can be found online

Fag for homosexual man.

Euphemism is used to express a mild, indirect, or vague term to substitute for a harsh, blunt, or offensive term. Euphemism is often contrasted with dysphemism. Some euphemisms intend to amuse, while others intend to give positive appearances to negative events or even mislead entirely.

Examples:

These are examples of euphemism:

Going to the other side for death,

Do it or come together in reference to a sexual act.

Passed away for die.

On the streets for homeless.

Adult entertainment for pornography.

Comfort woman for prostitute

Between jobs for unemployed.