SIMPLY SPEAKING

Re “Euphemistically speaking, the English language risks passing away” (Opinion, March 18): Contributor Michael Enright’s brilliant and frank observations on the threats of our growing reliance on euphemisms to downplay, blunt or side-step talk on tough issues left me stupefied – oops, I mean a little “bowdlered-over.”

■ J. Phillip Nicholson Ottawa

Euphemistic blunting of language is often ideological. Such language is not slovenly, to use George Orwell’s word, but designed with subtlety and precision to manipulate emotion in the exercise of power.

■ Ryan Whyte Toronto

I have been particularly irked by the increased popularity of the terms “passing” and “passing away.”

When did that happen? When did we become so sensitive? When did we become so hushed?

Please speak plainly, I don’t need to be mollycoddled.

■ Rebecca Thompson Toronto

In September, 1974, I was a journalism student in my first reporting class.

Our first assignment was to write the obituary of the student seated beside us. As the daughter of a weekly newspaper publisher, I took this to be about as easy as they come and dutifully pecked out on my Underwood typewriter: “The long-time Spencerville resident passed away peacefully on Saturday in her sleep.”

I smugly submitted my copy, only to be told very brusquely by my instructor that “passed away is just a nice way of saying died. Say died.”

As far as I know, my classmate is still alive and passing her time well. I’m pretty sure the instructor died.

■ Deborah Allan Toronto