Political euphemisms in Tshivenḓa: a sociopragmatic analysis

This article explores various political euphemisms in Tshivenḓa that politicians deploy in daily social interactions. Politicians use political euphemisms strategically to control the flow of information. Politicians and others employ these euphemisms to conceal unpleasant realities and shape public perception in discussions about social issues. Thus, their primary social functions include concealing and persuading. They avoid making offensive statements by substituting terms that carry offensive connotations with more comforting language. Politeness theory was utilised to investigate strategies to form political euphemisms in Tshivenḓa. The study was conducted in the Vhembe District Municipality, in Limpopo province. The data was gathered via document analysis, field notes, and structured face-to-face interviews. A qualitative research methodology was employed in this study, as the focus was on the words and phrases uttered by the participants. This article is premised on a descriptive qualitative research design and has utilised interviews and observations as the primary sources in gathering data. The article asserts that political euphemisms serve to conceal the truth, enabling authoritarian actions, shaping people’s moral compass, influencing their perception of reality, and ultimately succeeding in persuading them.


Introduction
Euphemism is described and examined through the lenses of both pragmatics and style.The term originates from the greek prefix eu-meaning 'well, good', and phēmos (a greek word for speech) or phēmē (speaking).Together, it means 'uttering sounds of good omen' (Azkiyah, 2008: 18).According to Jačková (2010: 12), the term euphemism has its roots in greek, signifying 'to speak in a good way'.Euphemisms are gentle or mild expressions, vague terms employed as substitutes for less favourable expressions or inappropriate language.Euphemisms serve as indirect alternatives to more direct and harsh expressions, aiming to circumvent uncomfortable situations, embarrassment, or potential offense.They find application in delicate social contexts where straightforward communication may be deemed inappropriate, such as discussions about death, illnesses, or sexuality (Jačková, 2010;Zhao & Dong, 2010).The several definitions of euphemisms referred to above have in common that euphemism replaces ordinary expressions with favourable or exaggerated ones to ameliorate or circumvent unpleasant topics.
The Vhavenḓa people are included among the diverse linguistic and cultural communities in South Africa.The Tshivenḓa language holds official status as one of the 12 languages official languages of South Africa with the recent addition of South African Sign Language.Comparatively speaking, even if the Vhavenḓa people are a small community in South Africa.The community has become the political home of some prominent political leaders in South Africa, hence the occurrence of a multiplicity of political euphemisms in Tshivenḓa.Employing euphemisms is a prevalent linguistic phenomenon across all cultures, including Tshivenḓa, as noted by Wodaki (2021).While euphemisms exist abundantly in all languages, there are variations and shared characteristics in their expression and cultural connotations.Using euphemisms, the Vhavenḓa community, like any other language community, can indirectly and politely express their ideas without making the listeners feel awkward.In a study conducted by Mudau (2016) on Vhavenḓa culture in the Vhembe District, it was found that euphemisms are commonly utilised in seven social contexts, including local courts, churches, households, hospitals, seclusion practices for girls, educational institutions, and electronic media.The findings reveal the prevalence of Tshivenḓa euphemisms in these domains, except in the court setting where straightforward communication is emphasised for clarity in legal proceedings.In legal contexts, the preference is for direct language to ensure a clear understanding between the involved parties.
given this backdrop, this article investigates strategies used to form political euphemisms in Tshivenḓa and how they contribute to making harsh topics and embarrassing conversations softer and more agreeable during communication.This aim was guided by the need to determine if politicians have the knowledge and the ability to apply strategies to form political euphemisms so that the effect would be a peaceful and cordial relationship among people using Tshivenḓa political euphemisms.

Background
Political euphemisms are purposely used in every culture and society around the world.These euphemisms help people and politicians avoid discriminating against other people based on age, appearance, gender, health, personality, race, relationship, status, religion, social status, and work (Zhao & Dong, 2010;Maitja, 2013).

Political euphemisms in China, the UK, Turkey and the USA
In China since the 1980s, Chinese scholars such as Zhao and Dong (2010) as well as Liu (2016) have authored numerous essays and books addressing euphemism from diverse angles.They methodically examine the factors influencing its formation, techniques of composition, categorisation and the principles that govern its creation, while also delving into its social functions.Zhao and Dong (2010) suggest that political euphemism serves as a focal point for foreign political linguists to assess and criticise political discourse in China.In Britain, euphemisms have existed since ancient times and are still widely used in British literature (Burchfield, 1985).Burchfield (1985) opines that euphemisms can be found in poetry by geoffrey Chaucer, plays by William Shakespeare, and in other authors like Charles Dickens and Jane Austen.Burchfield notes that the term euphemism in English first appears in a book written by Thomas Blount in 1656, titled Glossographia.Shemshurenko and Shafigullina's (2015) study examining the use of political euphemisms in the mass media in America and Turkey reveal that newspapers, magazines and online periodicals in the United States consistently employ a more extensive range of politically correct language.

Political euphemisms in Nigeria and Ghana
As in China, several scholars have written about euphemisms in Africa, such as Romanus (2015), Dubow (1994), and Sahba and Sayed (2016).In his study, Chinwe (2012) found that all political speeches delivered by the then-President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, never ran short of political euphemisms.They displayed a tendency towards self-praise, employing hyperboles to magnify their positive qualities and euphemisms to downplay and diminish their shortcomings.In his speeches, there was a utilisation of indirect or implicit communication, incorporating elements like presuppositions, allusions, vagueness, and implicature.Owiredu (2020) conducted a study in ghana examining the metaphors and euphemisms related to death in both Hebrew and the Akan languages of ghana.The study sought to examine euphemistic expressions in Akan and Hebrew that pertain to the status of the deceased and experiences related to death.It was evident that metaphor is the most helpful device for forming euphemisms in both Hebrew and the Akan languages to circumvent references to the unpleasant and dreadful experiences related to death.

Political euphemisms in South Africa
Both Maitja (2013) and Mudau (2016) conducted studies on euphemisms using politeness theory in Northern Sotho and Tshivenḓa, respectively, in South Africa.Maitja (2013) uncovered that euphemism is an inherent and ingrained phenomenon within the Northern Sotho language.Authors in literature employ euphemisms as a natural aspect to enhance effective communication.Mudau's (2016) meticulous examination of euphemisms in Tshivenḓa highlighted their dual impact on language.The study specifically identified positive impacts, including easing discussions on taboo subjects, avoiding direct mention of unpleasant topics, and enhancing the literary quality of the language.As Maitja (2013) and Mudau (2016) pointed out, authors like N Milubi, WMR Sigwavhulumu, and R Ratshiṱanga use euphemisms as poetic devices.

Political euphemism and face
Political euphemisms act as instruments for political leaders and other participants to regulate the flow of information.Deliberately crafted within the realm of politics, these constructions serve distinct purposes, such as hiding scandals, altering the truth, and influencing public opinion when addressing social issues or events.Political euphemism involves language as its most crucial element.Mahdi and Eesa (2019) assert that political discourse is a sophisticated aspect of human activity, rooted in the understanding that language is indispensable in the conduct of politics.Politicians leverage language as a crucial tool to articulate arguments and secure public backing.They carefully tailor their language register and word selection to address distinct audiences, endeavouring to present a positive image of themselves and their political parties.
Political speeches frequently feature self-glorification, accomplished through deliberate register choices that magnify the shortcomings of other leaders with derogatory terms.Meanwhile, positive register choices are employed to praise the virtues of their administration (Chinwe, 2012).This explanation corresponds with Burridge's (2012) portrayal of the application of language in political discourse.He characterises political euphemisms as the application of language that refrains from employing lexical labels viewed by many as unkind and impolite.In discourse, politicians utilise euphemistic expressions to prevent coming across as insensitive, particularly towards disadvantaged groups, encompassing those who are particularly susceptible in society, including the homeless, disabled individuals, and members of sexual and ethnic minorities.
Orwell (1968) contends that political actors do not use language randomly; instead, their speeches and public statements are meticulously and intentionally constructed with a specific purpose: to render lies convincing and present wrongdoing as socially acceptable.Political euphemism encompasses politics, politicians, contextual factors, surrounding circumstances, and the diverse audiences involved.The explanations of political euphemism given above have one thing in common, specifically, this involves using words or phrases to alleviate the offensive or discriminatory impact of language and to conceal the negative characteristics of the referent (Neaman & Silver, 1995;Halmari, 2011;Fernández, 2014).The connection between political euphemism and politeness is intricate, demonstrating consideration for the feelings of the interlocutor(s) in accordance with the norms of social behaviour.This is achieved through the concept of 'face,' initially introduced by goffman (1955) and further developed by Brown and Levinson (1987).The emphasis of this article is on political euphemisms, employing gentle and courteous language to mitigate potential face affronts.This is done with consideration for the speaker's self-presentation and the sensitivities of the listeners, in contrast to using dysphemism, which is the opposite of euphemism.
Political euphemisms are driven by specific purposes, intended to be perceived as polite and considerate of people's concerns, whether aimed at gaining favour, criticising a political opponent, fostering consensus, retaining support, shaping public opinion, or attracting potential voters (Zhao & Dong, 2010).To achieve that, vocabulary with unpleasant relations must be avoided to give a positive impression to the addressees.for this reason, the use of language becomes the most crucial element of political discourse.The use of language is not arbitrary; it is intentionally and thoughtfully constructed by individuals with a specific objective -to present a favourable image of themselves and the political parties to which they are affiliated (Lutz, 1999).Based on the explanations above, politicians must have the skills to choose suitable words or language to address audiences.Rhetoric is a skill that politicians and other participants should be able to apply.Rhetoric is the skilful and eloquent art of effective communication, employed by experienced politicians to present their ideas, and decisions in a refined manner (Zhao & Dong, 2010).When applied effectively in both spoken and written communication, it can convincingly influence or please an audience.The use of political euphemisms involves interlocutors steering clear of words or expressions that might evoke unpleasant associations, aiming to prevent a negative impression on their audiences.Unpleasant concepts undergo a transformation where their most inappropriate or offensive aspects are removed.This process allows for a 'safe' approach to handling specific embarrassing topics without violating political correctness or social conventions (Fernández, 2014).For this reason, political euphemism is marked by a tendency to avoid conflict, driven by a consideration for the emotions of the audience (Fernández, 2014).I argue that the use of evasive vocabulary and other euphemistic strategies demonstrates the interlocutors' consideration for the concerns of their audience.Scholars such as Zhao and Dong (2010) and Mahdi and Eesa (2019) expound that political euphemisms exhibit three distinctive features: namely, a greater degree of deviation from its signified, more vague meanings and a strong characteristic of the times.
A greater degree of deviation from its signified Euphemisms are words or phrases that replace harsh or unpleasant language, usually to make communication more socially acceptable.The degree of deviation from the literal meaning of a political euphemism indicates the extent to which it moves away from straightforwardness.When a euphemistic expression significantly deviates from its original meaning, it becomes more evident, contributing to a euphemism's nuanced and softened quality.This variation enables speakers to convey sensitive or problematic concepts more tactfully.This emphasises the complex and subtle ways language can be utilised to navigate social situations (Zhao & Dong, 2010;Mahdi & Eesa, 2019).Mohannad (2017) and Mahdi and Eesa (2019) bring attention to two features of political discourse in politics and English, specifically the outdatedness and ambiguity of rhetorical expressions.Political euphemisms are indirect expressions that replace direct ones and are often used in political discourse to serve political objectives.These euphemisms are vague and obscure and are designed to mask or soften unpleasant truths, making topics that are controversial or unfavourable more appealing to the public.Politicians often use ambiguous language to avoid clear commitments and limit opposition or criticism.Political euphemisms are a tool for strategic communication, allowing politicians to convey messages without being bound to explicit and potentially controversial viewpoints.

A strong characteristic of the times
A strong characteristic of this feature of political euphemism suggests that political language is dynamic rather than static.This is because language is dynamic.Words or phrases we use to describe specific things change over time (Allan, 2001).Euphemism, according to Allan (2001), encourages language change.This occurs by encouraging new terms or meanings for old expressions while abandoning existing language.As society and attitudes change, so does the vocabulary used in politics to represent these changes.What was once regarded as acceptable or politically correct may now be viewed differently.for example, terms once deemed polite or acceptable may become outdated or take on new meanings.Previously, the term 'mental retardation' was used to characterise people with intellectual difficulties.Because of the term's negative connotations, there has been a shift toward more polite and inclusive terms, such as 'intellectual disability'.

Politeness theory
The article is underpinned by politeness theory.The theory of politeness, put forward in the 1970s and 1980s, was developed by Penelope Brown and Stephen C. Levinson (1987) in their publication titled Politeness: Some Universals in Language Use.Politeness theory in communication serves as a framework to comprehend how individuals utilise language to express consideration and respect, and foster social harmony.It delves into the 'strategies employed to navigate social dynamics, manage interactions, and maintain positive relationships' (Rahmawati, 2008: 17).Politeness theory posits that individuals use various communication strategies 'to maintain face, or one's social identity and dignity, in interactions' (Shahrokhi & Bidabadi, 2013: 17).These strategies include 'positive politeness' (emphasising commonalities and shared interests), 'negative politeness' (acknowledging the other person's autonomy and minimising imposition), and 'off-record indirectness' (communicating indirectly to avoid threats to face) (Brown & Levinson, 1987).This article seeks to determine if speakers take into consideration the maintenance of face wants by resorting to the use of political euphemisms to maintain face, as outlined by Kasper (1998).
By positive politeness, politicians often employ euphemisms 'to soften the impact of harsh or uncomfortable messages' (Brown & Levinson, 1987: 65).Kasper (1998) claims that negative politeness is an aspect of politeness theory that influences the use of euphemisms in political speeches.When discussing controversial or divisive topics, politicians employ euphemisms to show respect for opposing viewpoints and avoid confrontations (Brown & Levinson, 1987).
Politeness theory also uses an off-record indirectness strategy during political debates.Instead of directly addressing sensitive issues, 'politicians often opt for euphemistic language to convey their intentions or concerns indirectly' (Domínguez, 2005: 10).This indirect communication strategy can be seen as a face-saving tactic, as it allows interlocutors to address contentious topics without causing offense or explicitly confronting opposing viewpoints.Politeness theory is appropriate to investigate strategies used to form political euphemisms in Tshivenḓa.The theory illuminates the importance of individuals expressing themselves appropriately to avoid conflicts between the parties engaged in the discussion.

Data analysis and interpretations
The data for this article was sourced from the Vhavenḓa linguistic speech community, predominantly derived from politicians during their inaugural speeches and civic engagements or meetings, and from teachers and elderly women and men selected because they are the guardians of the Tshivenḓa language and culture.The research setting was in the Vhembe District Municipality in Limpopo province.The data were gathered using document analysis, field notes, and structured face-to-face interviews.This study utilised a qualitative research approach, emphasising the words and phrases spoken by the participants.The political euphemisms discussed below were extracted from interviews with participants possessing experience and expertise in the utilisation of Tshivenḓa within their respective communities.The emphasis was on the semantic construction of these political euphemisms and their ability to avert 'face-threatening acts' to the listener within the Vhavenḓa people.
from the data gathered from the 25 purposefully selected participants, the researcher chose various political euphemisms and excluded others that were not political, as the emphasis was solely on Tshivenḓa political euphemisms.from politicians' inaugural speeches, their civic engagements with communities, local newspaper articles, and participants, I sought out everyday Tshivenḓa words and sentences that served as the basis for various political euphemisms.This exploration acknowledges political euphemism as a lexical process and a verbal strategy employed by politicians to soften the impact of their intended communication.This implies that discussions of political euphemism will be both at the word and the sentence level.Their English equivalents, the euphemistic strategies or linguistic devices used, and how those political euphemisms succeed in maintaining one's positive face in communication will be established and discussed.Political euphemisms were extracted and analysed from the context, not as stand-alone utterances or in isolation.

Euphemism in context
A few extracts will now be examined.
Ho vha ho ḓala vhathu vha sa koni.Vhathu vha sa koni ndi vhathu vha miholo ya fhasi (Makharamedzha, 2020).'There were lots of indigent people.Indigent people are low-income earners.' In this extract, two political euphemisms are found: (1) Vhathu vha sa koni 'indigent people' (2) Vhathu vha miholo ya fhasi 'low-income earners' The word 'indigent' comes from a Latin word that means 'lacking'.An indigent person is extremely poor and lacks the essential resources for everyday life.Indigent people do not work and have no money or homes.The expression Vhathu vha sa koni 'indigent people' is used as a political euphemism in Tshivenḓa to replace the ordinary expression vhathu vha vhashai referring to extremely poor or needy people.No one likes to be associated with poverty or to be referred to as poor.The euphemism, vhathu vha sa koni 'indigent people' is commonly used purposefully by politicians in their meetings while addressing poor people to replace the ordinary expression vhathu vha vhashai 'poor people' which tends to be harsh, offensive, and unpleasant.Semantically, the euphemism vhathu vha sa koni 'indigent people' is an idiomatic expression.Individuals employ idioms to enrich and add vibrancy to their language, conveying nuanced shades of meaning or intention.Idioms frequently serve as substitutes for literal words or expressions, and they often capture the full nuance of meaning more effectively.An idiom as a linguistic device can perform the function of political euphemisms to mask the harshness of communication between interlocutors.Some other politically euphemistic expressions in Tshivenḓa are also equivalent to the politically euphemistic expression vhathu vha sa koni 'indigent people': vhathu vha si na tshithu and vhathu vha si na zwavho 'financially challenged', and 'living in reduced circumstances.'These euphemistic expressions also refer to poor people.They are all idiomatic expressions that are used to replace ordinary expressions like vhashai 'poor people'.Politicians use these euphemisms in their meetings to substitute the unpleasant and harsh meaning of ordinary expressions such as vhathu vha sa shumi 'people who do not work', or vhashai 'poor people'.
Vhathu vha miholo ya fhasi 'low-income earners' are impoverished, poor, or destitute.These are extremely poor people who lack the means to provide for themselves.Politicians use the expression vha miholo ya fhasi 'low-income earners', a political euphemism, to refer to the persons who are on the brink of poverty to replace the ordinary expression vhathu vha vhashai 'poor people', which is impolite and unpleasant.Poor people struggle to make ends meet and do not want to be associated with that experience.To avoid possible loss of face, vhathu vha miholo ya fhasi 'low-income earners' is preferred.The political euphemism vhathu vha miholo ya fhasi 'low-income earners' is a roundabout understatement that makes the hearer feel better than to be referred to as vhathu vha vhashai 'poor people'.Understatements consistently provide space for a more favourable interpretation of unpleasant subjects.Using this political euphemism during their interlocution, what politicians express becomes socially acceptable and comfortable to the hearer, thus avoiding any threat to face.They utilise understatements to steer clear of coming across as insensitive to individuals impacted by the crisis.
Vho imiswa mushumoni u swika hu tshi vha na masheleni, vhoṱhe a vho ngo farea nga tsheo iyo yo dzhiiwaho.Hone na ri khetha, ri nga ni fhaṱela dzibada (Tshamano, 2020).'They were suspended until funds became available.All were concerned about the decision taken.If you vote for us, we can build roads for you'.
In this extract, three political euphemisms are seen: (3) Vho imiswa 'They were suspended' (4) A vho ngo farea 'They were concerned' (5) Ri nga ni fhaṱela dzibada 'We can build roads for you' In this context, the expression vho imiswa means 'to be stopped', giving the impression that they temporarily stopped work with full pay, whereas they completely stopped work without pay.To be stopped from working completely means to be fired -u pandelwa.Politicians play with words (Al-Shemmary & Ubied, 2016).Politicians in their conversations shy away from using ordinary and harsh expressions.The expression u pandelwa 'to be fired' is harsh compared to u imiswa 'to be suspended'.The expression u imiswa 'to be suspended' is an understatement that brings more positive connotations than 'to fire or cut completely'.It also applies to the expression a vho ngo farea 'they were concerned', which replaces an ordinary Tshivenḓa word dinalea or kwata -'angry', or 'cross'.When politicians use the euphemistic expression a vho ngo farea 'they were concerned', they avoid explicitly referring to the real problem that the ordinary words (dinalea or kwata -'angry' or 'cross') carry in their meaning.This entails the utilisation of euphemistic expressions where general terms are substituted for specific ones, enabling politicians to intentionally steer clear of using words with explicit meanings.This strategy, termed 'de-concretisation', serves a practical euphemistic objective, as noted by Sornig (1989).Vho imiswa 'they were suspended' and a vho ngo farea 'they were concerned' become political euphemisms created through understatement, wherein the euphemism presents an unpleasant topic as less severe than it is, intending to lessen its potential impact on one's reputation or face.The expression ri nga ni fhaṱela dzibada 'we can build roads for you' is a statement in the potential mood; the potential form of the verb indicates possibilities, and it is ambiguous as it has two meanings.Its ambiguous nature makes it a political euphemism when used by politicians.If it is not well understood or analysed as having two meanings, people can take it as a promise that after having voted for their leaders, roads will be built.The use of the modal verb 'can' turns it into an ambiguous statement which contributes to minimising the dangerous repercussions on politicians should the roads not be built.This example provides evidence for ambiguity's crucial role in political euphemistic use.According to Domínguez (2005), ambiguity is recognised as an inherent characteristic of euphemistic naming, capable of neutralising the derogatory aspects associated with the taboo referent in question.It means that when people use euphemisms, there is often inherent ambiguity.In other words, euphemistic phrases tend to be less direct and clear, leaving room for multiple interpretations or meanings.They have the potential to neutralise or lessen the negative or derogatory qualities associated with the taboo subject.In simpler terms, using vague or indirect language can soften the harshness of the taboo referent, making it sound less harmful.As argued by Fernández (2014), ambiguity plays a vital role in euphemism, particularly when its main objective is to preserve one's reputation or face.
Maitele a u thola vha sa ṱoḓi masheleni manzhi a muholo (Maselaelo, 2020) '[the] practice of hiring those who do not need a high salary'.from the extract above, one political euphemism is extracted: (6) Vha sa ṱoḓi masheleni manzhi a muholo 'Those who do not need a high salary' The above phrase is a euphemism at the sentence level instead of the word level.It has been a common practice in South Africa, especially in the farming sectors, to hire cheap employees who would not need high salaries.These would mostly be from our neighbouring war-torn countries, foreigners and refugees who do not have access to labour unions.Vha sa ṱoḓi masheleni manzhi a muholo, literally 'those who do not need a high salary', refers to 'foreigners' or 'refugees' -vhabvannḓa or tshavhi.The expression vha sa ṱoḓi masheleni manzhi a muholo is a political euphemism that politicians use to replace the harsh, offensive, and unpleasant ordinary words vhabvannḓa or tshavhi -'foreigners' or 'refugees'.Multiple words are used to explain a specific idea where fewer words could have been used, and this is done deliberately to be vague or evasive.This approach is termed circumlocution, involving deliberate and indirect use of words, phrases, or expressions to present something unfavourable in a positive or, at the very least, acceptable light.In line with the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary (2008: 243), this phenomenon is termed 'evasion in speech.'Politicians use circumlocution in their discourse to avoid being more specific about what they want to express.By circumlocution, politicians hide the unpleasant and offensive meanings that could have been conveyed if the ordinary and general words tshavhi 'refugees' and vhabvannḓa 'foreigners' were used.By using a circumlocution strategy, politicians prevent the face-threatening of the hearer in the Vhavenḓa linguistic speech community during interlocution.The circumlocution phrase becomes imprecise and vague but at the same time socially comfortable to the hearer, thereby avoiding any threat to face.Ṋamusi a hu na tshumelo ha masipala nga nṱhani ha misumbedzo ya voutu ya u shaya fhulufhelo kha vhurangaphanḓa, tshivhangi ndi mbambe ya u langula masipala na u shandukisa muvhuso.Hu na tshiimo tsha polotiki tshine tsha khou thengathenga (Tshamano, 2020).'Today, there is no service at the municipality because of the "demonstrations" of a "vote of no confidence".The cause is the "competition" to control the municipality and "regime change".There is an "unstable political situation".from the extract above, five political euphemisms are extracted: ( Voutu ya u shaya fhulufhelo kha vhurangaphanḓa 'vote of no confidence' -this expression has now become standard in government and many organisational institutions; when employees are not satisfied with the performance of their leadership, the expression, voutu ya u shaya fhulufhelo kha vhurangaphanḓa is mainly heard in their meetings.This expression has become political in that it can be used to voice dissatisfaction politely rather than the expression, u sa tsha funa vhurangaphanḓa 'no longer need the current leadership', which is harsh and shows disrespect to the leadership at the same time.Voutu ya u shaya fhulufhelo kha vhurangaphanḓa is purposefully preferred to show respect and to remain polite so that the hearer's face is saved from embarrassment.Like other political euphemisms above, this expression is an understatement that can make the leadership feel better, even if it could be expelled or chased away, but it would still feel accommodated because the political euphemism has been used to hide the truth about the expulsion of the leadership. Ndi mbambe ya u langula masipala 'competition to control a municipality' -this expression is commonly used in the media during election times.It replaces the ordinary expression u lwela ndangulo ya masipala 'to fight for control of the municipality'.Structurally, the expression ndi mbambe ya u langula 'competition to control' is a metaphor because it directly refers to one thing by mentioning another.In this instance, u lwela ndangulo ya masipala 'fighting for control of the municipality' is regarded as a mbambe 'competition'.When used to replace the expression, u lwela ndangulo ya masipala 'fighting for control of the municipality', this metaphor downplays what the ordinary word u lwela 'fighting for' would have conveyed.It softens the harsh meaning of fights associated with elections and regards it as playing a sport (mbambe in Tshivenḓa refers to athletic sports), whereas it is not a sport, but a fight to be in power.
U shandukisa muvhuso 'regime change' is the overthrowing or replacing one administration or government by another, sometimes through coup d'états.Usually, this action is accompanied by violence.U shandukisa muvhuso is a political euphemism in Tshivenḓa to replace u wisa muvhuso 'to overthrow or topple the government', an action where there would be no peace but bloodshed.When the phrase u shandukisa muvhuso is used, it conjures up the idea that overthrowing a government is a simple action, whereas it is not.It conceals the real meaning and hides the truth.An understatement as a strategy is used to develop this political euphemism, and it succeeds in weakening the meaning associated with overthrowing the government.
Tshiimo tsha polotiki tshine tsha khou thengathenga or tshiimo tshi songo dzikaho 'unstable political situation' is a new politically euphemistic expression.It refers to a nightmare political situation, a crisis.Politicians use this political euphemism to avoid using the ordinary expression tshiimo tsha dzikhakhathi 'trouble situation'.The politically euphemistic expression employs understatement, portraying an unpleasant topic as less severe than it truly is, to minimise the potential face-affront it may cause.It strips off the distasteful and frightening situation which is turmoil.As a political euphemism, it obscures the correct information or the truth.
A ho ngo vha na vhabvazwiṱhavhelo vhanzhi vha nndwa dza polotiki Zimbabwe nga thuso ya vhalwelambofholowo.Vhadzia u vhona uri hu vhe na mulalo, vha nanga vhukando ha u ḓitsireledza kha vhadzulapo nga fulo ḽa muyani (Tshamano, 2020) 'There were few "civilian casualties" for Zimbabwean politics, because of the help from the "freedomfighters"."Peacekeepers" chose to use "protective action" through "air operations" or "air support".'from the extract above, five political euphemisms are extracted: ( Vhabvazwiṱhavhelo 'civilian casualties' or 'collateral damage' -the noun is a political euphemism used by politicians to refer to those killed or who survived a war or military action.As a political euphemism, it replaces the word vhapondiwa or khuvhabvu 'casualties.'The word vhapondiwa or khuvhabvu is derogatory and instils fear.It refers to people who were killed or injured.People fear death; therefore, with the use of the political euphemism vhabvazwiṱhavhelo 'civilian casualties' or 'collateral damage', the fear-instilling matter is referred to with an indirect or softer term that is neutral.This is a Tshivenḓa political euphemism formed by a compounding strategy, where two words are used together to form a new word, and those two words are kept intact.Vhabvazwiṱhavhelo is formed by the verb stem -bva 'go out' and the noun zwiṱhavhelo 'casualties.' Vhalwelambofholowo 'freedom fighters' -this expression is a political euphemism used by politicians to replace the dispreferred word matherorisi 'terrorists' to present an attractive image to their audiences; however, the expression is misleading because the reality of what terrorists are is hidden by the euphemism 'freedom fighters'.It is better to be referred to as a 'freedom fighter' than a 'terrorist'.All freedom fighters are held in high regard in their communities.This political euphemism succeeds in maintaining the addressees' cheerful face.Compounding as a word-formation strategy has been used to develop this politically euphemistic word in Tshivenḓa.Vhalwelambofholowo -'freedom fighters' is formed by the verb stem -lwela 'fight for' and a noun mbofholowo 'freedom'.
Vhadzia u vhona uri hu vhe na mulalo 'peacekeepers' -the expression vhadzia u vhona uri hu vhe na mulalo refers to people who ensure that there is peace and stability in a country, i.e. 'soldiers', maswole in Tshivenḓa.This expression is a political euphemism that replaces the common noun 'soldiers.'Politicians use multiple words for something that can be mentioned using one word.An understatement strategy is used to mask and hide the truth about how dangerous soldiers are.Instead of referring to them as soldiers, the expression 'peacekeepers' is used to bring a positive connotation to dangerous people such as soldiers whose task is to protect their own while killing other people.It makes an unpleasant reality -where people are killed -sound a bit better and palatable as though the task at hand is to 'keep the peace' as the name suggests.The political expression, vhadzia u vhona uri hu vhe na mulalo 'peacekeepers', when used to replace the word maswole 'soldiers' in an interlocution, aims to make the addressees, the soldiers, feel appreciated.Hence their positive face is maintained.
Vhukando ha u ḓitsireledza 'protective action' is a Tshivenḓa political euphemism related to military actions that refer to 'to fire bullets.'It replaces u thuntsha lwa u ḓilwela 'firing bullets in defence or to protect oneself'.When used during discourse, it both hides the truth and misleads.When used to refer to military actions, the addressees, the soldiers, feel appreciated.This political euphemism plays down the degree of violence that is used in warfare and diminishes people's awareness of this, and the soldiers' cheerful face is maintained.The formation of this political euphemism involves the compounding mechanism, merging two words, 'protection' vhuḓitsireledzi and 'action' nyito, to create a euphemistic expression designed to substitute an unacceptable word, u thuntsha lwa u ḓilwela 'firing bullets in defence, or to protect oneself'.
Fulo ḽa nga muyani or thikhedzo ya muyani 'air operation' or 'air support' -these two expressions are Tshivenḓa political euphemisms related to military actions.These euphemistic expressions replace u boma nga muyani 'to throw bombs and missiles' and protect oneself while killing people.During military actions, bombs and missiles are launched.Still, the way this situation is described using these euphemisms leaves the addressees, the soldiers, feeling appreciated because these words play down the degree of violence that is being used in warfare.The absolute truth is hidden, and people are deceived.The people's awareness of the absolute truth of killing people diminishes.Unpleasant realities are concealed by refraining from direct mention of something unpleasant or face-threatening.This strategy of using political euphemisms in this manner is referred to as periphrases, and this strategy succeeds in maintaining the soldiers' positive face.
Fhethu ha ndulamiso (Makharamedzha, 2020) 'correctional facility' is a jail or prison, a facility designed for the confinement of individuals who are accused or convicted of a crime.Fhethu ha ndulamiso is a political euphemism that replaces the word ṱironngoni or dzhele 'jail' or 'prison'.The word ṱironngoni or dzhele is judgmental and unpleasant to use during a conversation as it denotes a facility designed for the confinement of individuals accused or convicted of a crime.The political euphemism fhethu ha ndulamiso makes prison or jail sound like a more comfortable place to stay.If used in conversation in the presence of inmates, it succeeds in maintaining the positive face of inmates.This euphemism was formed by a standard possessive construction where two nouns, i.e., fhethu 'place' and ndulamiso 'correction' were combined by the possessive concord ha.Two individually innocuous words, a noun fhethu 'place' and a deverbative noun ndulamiso 'correction', were combined to devise a euphemistic term that can replace an undesirable expression like ṱironngoni or dzhele, both denoting 'jail' or 'prison.' U longa tshanḓa kha mashumele a mulayo (Makharamedzha, 2020) 'to defeat the ends of justice' -this is an idiomatic expression, literally meaning to interfere in the investigation of a case to prevent justice from being served.If a person is told that they are interfering in the investigation of a case u dzhenelela kha ṱhoḓisiso ya mulandu, such a person feels aggrieved because the expression u dzhenelela kha ṱhoḓisiso ya mulandu, 'to interfere in the investigation of a case' is blunt and it threatens the person's face.But if u longa tshanḓa kha mashumele a mulayo 'to defeat the ends of justice' is used, it succeeds in the maintenance of a cheerful face during discourse, and it serves the function of political euphemism well.
Tshigwevho tsha vhutshilo (Maselaelo, 2020) 'capital punishment' -this is a metaphor that means to be killed by execution.This metaphor is a political euphemism in Tshivenḓa to replace the expression u tshigwevho tsha lufu 'to be killed by execution or hanging'.If a person is told they have been given a death sentence during a conversation, that person feels distressed because the expression tshigwevho tsha lufu 'to be killed by execution or hanging' is harsh and invites the person's negative face, but if the metaphoric word expression tshigwevho tsha vhutshilo 'capital punishment' is used, the person experiences the sentence as less devastating.This, therefore, means that the metaphoric expression tshigwevho tsha vhutshilo 'capital punishment' succeeds in maintaining the person's positive face.Table 1 illustrates the political euphemisms used in the text and the strategy used to form the euphemisms.

Research findings
The results of this study show that Tshivenḓa political euphemisms make harsh topics and embarrassing conversations subtler and more acceptable during interactions, and they are utilised in various spheres of life, namely the legal sector, economic sector, military actions, and unrest periods.The study illustrates that various euphemisms or linguistic strategies motivated by politeness are utilised.This idea is reinforced by Fernández (2004), who asserts that individuals in communication employ different soothing euphemistic tactics to prevent conflict.The study's findings revealed that Tshivenḓa political euphemisms use metaphors, idiomatic expressions, compounding, ambiguity, circumlocution, and understatement as strategies to form political euphemisms.They are referred to as linguistic devices by Fernández (2014).Interestingly, among these linguistic devices, understatement and compounding strategies are often used during conversation to form Tshivenḓa political euphemisms.The preference for understatement lies in the ability of individuals to convey a stronger proposition intentionally while using a milder expression.Understatement consistently allows for a more favourable interpretation of an unpleasant topic.for the formation of Tshivenḓa political euphemisms, an understatement plays down certain aspects during interlocution by downgrading undesirable features.It makes utterances during interlocution socially acceptable and comfortable to the hearer, thereby avoiding threat to face.As noted earlier, euphemism functions as a means of preserving one's face and underscores cooperation in conversation, a key aspect of political euphemisms according to Burridge (2012:13).Tshivenḓa political euphemisms are no exception.
It is through understatement that the context of Tshivenḓa political euphemism, social interaction is predominantly geared towards safeguarding and upholding the dignity of language speakers.This aligns with an implicit mutual agreement aimed at fulfilling their face-saving requirements (Allan & Burridge, 1991).Understatement enables politicians to deliberately avoid words with specific meanings, such as general-for-specific euphemistic items.The strategy is called de-concretisation, and according to Sornig (1989), this strategy fulfils a practical euphemistic goal.One other finding was that the strategy of understatement enables Tshivenḓa political euphemisms to meet the features of political euphemism, namely a greater 'degree of deviation from its signified' and 'more vague meanings' as mentioned by Zhao and Dong (2010: 118).
It was established that compounding, as one of the five mechanisms to form euphemisms mentioned by Warren (1992), is another preferred strategy to form Tshivenḓa political euphemisms.A euphemism for an otherwise unacceptable term is created by combining two innocuous words.A new lexeme is technically created by combining at least two input roots.Some Tshivenḓa political euphemisms are expressed indirectly through figures of speech such as metaphors and idiomatic expressions.Allan andBurridge (1991), Warren (1992), Abrams (1999), andHolder (2008) describe this strategy of political euphemisms as semantic innovation.They argue that euphemisms retain their original, derived meaning, which transforms into a euphemism through association.In Abrams' (1999) definition, a metaphor is articulated as a word or expression that signifies a particular thing but is employed to represent a distinctly different thing, without explicitly stating a comparison.Political euphemisms formed from the metaphor as a figure of speech usually consist of more than one word, and this applies to Tshivenḓa political euphemisms, too.
The study's findings reveal that ambiguity is one of the strategies used to form Tshivenḓa political euphemisms that show politeness.Certain ambiguous euphemistic expressions in Tshivenḓa are socially embraced and occasionally regarded as a strategy for politeness.Politically euphemistic words and statements are used to disguise beautifying things, thus avoiding any negative impact.Politicians do this, knowing that political euphemisms are not always used for good motives but to hide the truth by using ambiguity.A key motivation for the utilization of political

Idiomatic expression
Tshigwevho tsha vhutshilo Metaphoric expression euphemisms in dialogue is the aim to evoke more positive associations or mitigate negative ones.To achieve that, words with strong connotations should be avoided using the strategy of ambiguity (Abrams, 1999).Brown and Levinson (1987) assert that speakers circumvent threats to the face of their audience through different forms of indirectness, vagueness, and similar strategies, implying or hinting at their intended meanings rather than stating them directly.
The most interesting study finding is that circumlocution is used by politicians as a strategy to form Tshivenḓa political euphemisms.This observation is consistent with the findings of Al-Shemmary and Ubied (2016), who note that politicians resort to circumlocution when discussing topics that could pose a threat to their image or are politically sensitive.The study suggests that politicians opt for indirect communication as a strategy to safeguard their careers and gain advantages, both in the political arena and in interpersonal interactions, particularly when dealing with political rivals.This inclination towards indirectness is often expressed through evasion and circumlocution.In interpersonal interactions, circumlocution is employed to convey politeness by indirectly addressing sensitive topics.

Discussion
This article confirmed that Tshivenḓa has political euphemisms that politicians use during discourse in various spheres of life.It was revealed that the current generation of politicians from Tshivenḓa communities knows the importance of political euphemisms and how they can be formed and applied during interlocution.As the literature suggests, addressing the audience is a rhetorical skill.Politicians in the Tshivenḓa community have the skills to choose suitable words or language to address audiences, and they achieve that because they understand strategies or linguistic devices used to form political euphemisms.By employing euphemistic strategies, individuals can carve out a space devoid of conflict where the interlocutor does not sense any overt threat to their public self-image, commonly referred to as their 'face'.They are aware that inappropriate linguistic choices may be considered rude.These represent the distinctive features of the theoretical framework applied in this study, namely the politeness theory.

Conclusion
The knowledge generated from this research provides insight into the importance of using political euphemisms in conversations.The article has shown that political euphemisms form part of Tshivenḓa culture and language, as explained by Stayt (1968), who posits that Tshivenḓa culture is famous for its politeness, and it thus follows that this would also be reflected in its daily language use.furthermore, it is fascinating to observe that euphemisms, as part of Tshivenḓa culture and language, morph according to the context and time.from this illumination, it is thus undeniable that euphemisms, in whatever form, will form part of Tshivenḓa culture and language for many years to come.Based on these perspectives, this study proposes the integration of euphemisms into sustainable teaching approaches and knowledge frameworks across primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions in South Africa, underscoring their crucial role in facilitating effective communication.Additionally, it recommends that various stakeholders, including guardians of the Tshivenḓa language such as lecturers, teachers, governments, and language research centres, engage in the collection, documentation, publication, and development of Tshivenḓa political euphemisms across diverse social domains.

Table 1 :
How political euphemisms were formed