Euphemistic conceptual metaphors in epitaphs from Highgate Cemetery

Abstract

Death is a timeless taboo in which psychological, religious and social interdictions coexist. In consequence, human beings feel reluctant to deal with the subject of death using straightforward terms and therefore tend to soften the effect of what they really wish to communicate. With this in mind, it is the aim of this paper to explore the euphemistic language on a sample of epitaphs from the Eastern Highgate Cemetery in London. As figurative language constitutes a potent source for death-related euphemism, the present study proceeds to trace an account of the different conceptual metaphors in epitaphs within the framework of Lakoff and Johnson’s Conceptual Metaphor Theory. The results obtained support the idea that most of the conceptualizations of death observed in the gravestones imply a positive value-judgment of human mortality and aim at assisting those left alive in coping with the pain of loss and the fear of dying.

Highgate Cemetery Heterotopia: A Creative Counterpublic Space

“…Eliecer Crespo Fernández (2011) observed that due to the taboo nature of death, epitaphs inscribed on funerary monuments are purposefully euphemistic and poetic, to avoid straightforward language. He explored a sample of 160 epitaphs from Highgate Cemetery East and conceptually mapped a number of metaphors which he crystallized around six themes;DEATH IS A JOURNEY .…”

“…The small grave of baby Louis Ingram (October-December, 2007) with a small teddy bear and several tiny Matchbox Cars displays tragedy and loss through the epitaph, “We loved you enough for a lifetime.” Adjacent to the grave of my great uncle, a friend has created a memorial on the seat which was erected alongside. 9 This is adorned with a display of metallic Soviet badges which have been glued in line suggesting medals, probably totems to highlight solidarity with revolutionary communist ideals (and countercultural capital), unlike the six themes mentioned by Crespo Fernández (2011).…”

“…The poignant political epitaph that suggests, “philosophers have only interpreted the world in various ways—the point however is to change it,” offers individual agency. So, rather than metaphorical conceptions to help the living cope with death (Crespo Fernández, 2011), this straightforward political message is a counternarrative to help the subjugated cope with life (although this can be reinterpreted as irony displaying the flexibility of a postmodern thirdspace—how well did Marx cope with life?). In this respect, Marx lives, which for an atheist is one way to cope with there not being an afterlife, offering more irony.…”

“…The conceptual metaphor “death is the end” (Crespo Fernández, 2011) suggests dominated space which representation may appear to reconfigure Marx and his loose band of disciples, the resting place for both Marx and a political philosophy, but this is not to rule out a future reconfiguration of this phrase. As Maddrell (2016) points out, contestation of meaning centers around disconnection between the deceased and memorial site, tension exacerbated by different individual and collective conceptions.…”

“…Death, traditionally, is alluded to indirectly and through stylized, coded, and symbolic language, highlighted by conceptual metaphors contained in epitaphs which offer ritual engagement and expression of individual and collective memory (Crespo Fernández, 2011). But in Highgate Cemetery, the extent of creativity and nonconformity through funerary monuments and epitaphs (cemetery texts) 5 emphasizes individual agency, which contrasts with other sites in London, indicating significantly different responses to death individually and over time.…”