Could We Agree on a Universal Euphemism for the word Period?

There is so much about language to love. The way we tinker with it at times. The way we incorporate words from other languages into our own. Idioms, or words that seem to evolve in meaning over time, or become obsolete only to come back into usage 80 to 100 years later.

​Euphemisms are another interesting part of language.  Oxford dictionary defines a euphemism as a noun  that is a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing.  An example could be  "downsizing" in place of "cuts." 

LANGUAGE NERDS, a .com site that from time to time gives us interesting  language usage references has offered us a list of euphemisms for the word "period." You ask, what could be embarrassing about the end of a sentence? Well, that's not the period in question. 

So from around the world I offer you  some examples of how people the world over  deal with discussing  this unmentionable in their language.


The English are an interesting sort, the sometimes resort to one of the following:

• Shark Week
• Code Red
• Lady Business
• Aunt Flo / Flow

German:

• Tomato juice
• It's strawberry week
• Red Plague is here
• The Red Army Has Arrived
• Monthly Oil Change 
• Smells like Fish 

Italian:

• I have my Things   (I especially like this one - it's so tidy)
• Guests / Relatives have come
• Red Sea
• I have a flood

Danish:

• The Russians have arrived
• Painters are in the stareway
• The Communists are in the Fun House  (another favorite of mine)
• The Red Sea

Chinese:

• Old Friend has come
• Regular Holiday

French:

• The British have landed in my party
• It's Ketchup Week
• There is a crime scene in my Panty
• VOO  Vaginally Out of Order
• Little clown with a nose bleeding
• Strawberries in season

Spanish:

• Defrosting the stake
• Red Traffic Light
• It's like a tomato
• I’m with Andrew, the one that comes once a month. Spanish: “Andrés, el que viene cada mes” (rhyme).

Russian:

• The Red Army
• Red day of calendar

Portuguese:

• I'm with Chico
• Red Traffic Light
• Soccer Team is Playing at Home (Red Jerseys)
• It's Raining on the farm

Dutch:

• Egg Yoke dropped to the bottom
• Monthly Party

Finnish:

• ​Japan has attacked
• Mad Cow Disease

Chilean Spanish: 

• The Rabbit has been stabbed

Turkish:

• The Motherland is Bleeding

Romanian:

• I was bitten by a Rooster

Arabic:

• I have the monthly habit

Irish:

• The painters are in the hallway

Let us know your choice for the best universal Euphemism in the comments below. 


Source:  Thank you to LanguageNerds.com the source of the ever important information. 


#Euphemisms #Period  #aroundTheWorld