Euphemisms related to the semantic field of ‘sex’ in Russian and Polish from the point of view of their basic meanings

Abstract

The aim of this article is to compare the basic meanings of Russian and Polish euphemisms from the semantic field of sex. Eight areas of this field were examined: the terms for the sexual act, the male sex organ, testicles, the female sex organ, buttocks, breasts, and prostitutes. Along with the area of the sexual act, a separate meaning for ‘engaging in a sexual activity’ has been differentiated. The analysis showed that the basic meanings are divided into the same groups in both languages, which allows us to conclude that euphemisms from the semantic field of sex in Russian and Polish are created based on similar cognitive foundations.