Definitions of the Euphemism "Partying"
This paper will be concerned with the euphemism
This is an excerpt from the paper...
This paper will be concerned with the euphemism "partying" as used by college undergraduates. As a general rule, the word "party" is a noun referring either to a social gathering or a political organization. The verb "partying" is also listed in the dictionary as an American variation of the word. As such, it simply refers to the act of engaging in a social gathering. However, when used by a group of college undergraduates, "partying" has special connotations which are not found in the normal use of the word. Specifically, it implies getting drunk and behaving in a rowdy fashion. In some cases, it can also imply the use of recreational drugs. When used by college students, "partying" is a euphemism because it sounds less offensive than "getting drunk" or "getting stoned." In fact, the term "partying" sounds like it is referring to good, clean fun. As this paper will show, the use of this euphemism reflects a number of things about the state of mind of undergraduates. College undergraduates experience unique psychological demands because they are going through a number of important transitional changes in their lives. Most undergraduates are making the transition from adolescence to young adulthood. As such, they need to learn to adjust to the new responsibilities which come with adulthood. Many experts feel that the transition to adulthood is one of the most traumatic changes that a person experiences in life. The young adult must decide upon a personal iden
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r of being rejected from the group. Another factor which helps to explain excessive "partying" among undergraduates is the fact that college life is filled with a number of unique pressures which don't exist anywhere else. For example, the young college student must learn to deal with tough class loads while trying to maintain a good grade average at the same time. These stressful conditions are often compounded by parental expectations. Research has shown that some college students become severely depressed as a result of these pressures. There have even been cases of suicide among students who were unable to deal with the strains of college. This is a situation which Horowitz (1987) refers to as "psychic distress among undergraduates" (p. 257). Therefore, it can be assumed that "partying" is often a way to relieve the tensions which come with college life. Again, this mutual relieving of tensions is related to group identity. Thus, college undergraduates may feel the need to become intoxicated together because it helps them to collectively overcome the feelings of pressure that they share with one another.
These psychological factors not only help to explain the behavior of "partying" but also help to explain the euphe
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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1753
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page)
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