Collegiate euphemisms

At Allegheny College, I found that:

- what I would call "dormitories", the administration calls "residence halls";
- what I would call "cafeterias", the administration calls "dining halls"; and
- what I would call "fraternities", the administration calls "Greek organizations".

But it's not clear that these phrases are euphemisms, are they? They're longer and less idiomatic replacements for familiar terms, but what are the sensitive subjects to be avoided? Perhaps the administration thinks that people associate the word "dorm" with cramped quarters and "cafeteria" with bad food. The use of the word "Greek" might be at attempt at gender-neutral language, on the grounds that a sorority doesn't count as a fraternity.

Here's another odd one: Allegheny has an office of religion, but it isn't called the Office of Religion; it's called the Office of Religious Life. Actually, the website tells me it's now the Office of Spiritual and Religious Life, which term I can at least see motivation for, namely the desire to include less coherent belief systems than are typically denoted by the word "religion", like New Ageism.

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What's your deal with euphemisms?

Yeah we have a lot of those at my place of academia as well. I shall catalogue them during the workday tomorrow.
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Willis, it seems like every other time you post, I need to look up a word that's in the OED or Urban Dictionary but not both.
-Mimir

What's your deal with euphemisms?

http://arfer.net/w/euphemism

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Another one like "Greek life" is that Allegheny uses "sophomores", "juniors", and "seniors", but freshmen are "first-year students".

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From: Kodiologist | Posted: 5/27/2013 5:17:52 PM | #001

At Allegheny College, I found that:

- what I would call "dormitories", the administration calls "residence halls";
- what I would call "cafeterias", the administration calls "dining halls"; and
- what I would call "fraternities", the administration calls "Greek organizations".
.

Not all residence halls are dorms.
Not all dining halls are cafeterias.
Not all Greek organizations are fraternities. Also, not all fraternities are Greek organizations.

Yeeeeeeeep
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Well, there is a new accent of n00b language. It's called: Vet LUEser goes Foreign!-MegaSpy22
Those must be the pants of the gods!-Digitalpython

That's true in general. Like, I guess you could call a hotel a "residence hall". But the structures I'm referring to are indeed dormitories. Likewise for cafeterias and fraternities.

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Kodiologist posted...

That's true in general. Like, I guess you could call a hotel a "residence hall". But the structures I'm referring to are indeed dormitories. Likewise for cafeterias and fraternities.

You sure there aren't suites in those dorms? Or anything that would not be a simple 2-person dorm?

Also, like I said, not all frats are considered Greek Life. There are many fraternities not associated with the IFC (Intra-Fraternity Council...I think), thus not making them Greek life.
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Well, there is a new accent of n00b language. It's called: Vet LUEser goes Foreign!-MegaSpy22
Those must be the pants of the gods!-Digitalpython

You sure there aren't suites in those dorms? Or anything that would not be a simple 2-person dorm?

There are all kinds of units in them, from singles to four-person suites. Why would the term "dormitory" be limited to buildings with only doubles? The relevant sense in the OED is "In universities and colleges: a building in which students reside; a hall of residence; a hostel. U.S." Curiously, it looks like "hall of residence" is the standard term for a dorm outside the US.

Also, like I said, not all frats are considered Greek Life. There are many fraternities not associated with the IFC (Intra-Fraternity Council...I think), thus not making them Greek life.

It looks like Allegheny has two inter-fraternity organizations, the Inter-Fraternity Council and the Panhellenic Council, which are associated with the male-only fraternities and the sororities, respectively. I don't think there are any frats at Allegheny not represented by one of these, nor does either represent an organization whose name isn't a bunch of Greek letters. Well, there are the honor societies. I'm a member of Phi Beta Kappa myself. But those aren't normally included in the term "fraternities" nor "Greek organizations". I'm nobody's brother.

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The IFC and Panhellenic Council work together, so most people (myself included), usually just lump them together. There are also Business Fraternities, which are co-ed, and usually fall under IFC jurisdiction.

Honestly, it may sound a bit racist, but most minority frats are the ones that don't associate with the IFC. There's a good chance you wouldn't know about them, unless you or a friend is active in each respective community.

You got me on the residence hall thing though. Some dorms (see, even I say it!) are suites-only, so we just refer to them as suites...but yeah, there's no beating the dictionary. Residence Hall just sounds nicer, and I'm pretty sure that's the point you're making. You win on that count, good sir.
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Well, there is a new accent of n00b language. It's called: Vet LUEser goes Foreign!-MegaSpy22
Those must be the pants of the gods!-Digitalpython

Honestly, it may sound a bit racist, but most minority frats are the ones that don't associate with the IFC.

Huh. Well, today I learned. Chalk it up to http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/H/hysterical-reasons.html . But the point you're making is, these frats aren't technically frats, since they aren't associated with the IFC or the PHC? That doesn't mean they aren't school-sanctioned, does it?

Residence Hall just sounds nicer, and I'm pretty sure that's the point you're making.

Or at least, that's what I'm guessing the people at Allegheny who pick the terminology think.

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One more: I've noticed academics often use the word "spouse" even when the gender of the referenced party is known. One of my own undergraduate thesis advisers, on one of his web pages, writes "my spouse" next to an obviously female name.

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PWWTHaSaaAaCDLAIEoTaTMaMNtNDTTA - Proud Member
http://www.qwantz.com/index.php?comic=1566

I knew a couple in grad school who weren't quite engaged. The dude introduced the young woman as "My partner" and she gave him the "I think this is awkwardly cute" equivalent of a death stare.
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Willis, it seems like every other time you post, I need to look up a word that's in the OED or Urban Dictionary but not both.
-Mimir

Wow, sounds like he found the fabled missing link between the girlfriend and the fiancé.

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PWWTHaSaaAaCDLAIEoTaTMaMNtNDTTA - Proud Member
http://www.qwantz.com/index.php?comic=1566