Thank you very much for your clarification.
With due respect to your erudition and to those of other regulars, I wish to make some observations. Please take them with a handful of salt! I certainly look forward to your response.
I start with a caveat that English is not my first language.
Words do mean to us more than what a dictionary may tell us what they mean. The subjectiveness in choosing a particular word (in a second or a third language) depends on one's cultural and linguistic background (from the social norms and the first language learnt). By sheer osmosis the new language will slowly absorb the actual meaning meant by the speaker from the already existing knowledge base of vocabulary. Another factor also depends on how often the speaker uses the second language, or perhaps, how less frequently the speaker uses the first language learnt. Much of the evidence of what I'm suggesting could be found among second-generation immigrants. I hope I'm clear so far.
As I was growing up, I learnt to pigeonhole certain words as polite and acceptable to use at the dinner table; I learnt certain words from the playgrounds and schoolyard, and I knew they were not to be used in polite company. There were many other words which were mentally branded by me as crude or impolite, but not vulgar. I'd never use the word “pregnant” (please don't laugh), and instead the nomenclature will be “she is expecting” or “ she is in the family way” or “she will be delivering soon” or some such thing. This was definitely learnt vicariously by me without any deliberation on my part.
Similarly, the word “death” was handled very gingerly, and again, with due respect to you, I find it rather jarring to say so-and-so is dead and instead I'd say so-and-so has passed away or expired. I'm sure it's very cultural and not a reflection on one's attitude.
This begs the question, “Are words that powerful?” I have a Jewish friend, who will always write “G_D” to refer to the Almighty --even in his term papers when he was at the graduate school! I often wondered if it was purely a learnt behavior on his part or was he conditioned to believe that he really believed in what he said he believed!
Comments/criticisms are welcome and thanks for your patience.
Roberto
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