Euphemism in the Podcasting Sphere: A Pragmatic Analysis of Gender and Cultural Discourse

The proliferation of podcasts as a primary platform for intercultural dialogue necessitates a deeper understanding of the pragmatic strategies speakers use to navigate sensitive topics. While euphemism is a key tool for such navigation, its use as shaped by the intersecting variables of gender and culture within this medium remains under-researched. This article addresses this gap by analyzing how a male (Middle Eastern) and a female (American) podcaster employ euphemisms when discussing the same highly charged cultural content: the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The research objectives were to identify the types and frequencies of euphemisms used by each speaker and to compare their usage to understand how their respective backgrounds shape their pragmatic choices. The study, which employed a comparative analysis grounded in Politeness Theory and Speech Act Theory, revealed that both speakers favored topic-driven and risk-avoidant strategies, although their approaches differed. The female speaker employed a broader range of euphemistic strategies, including Positive Politeness and Indirect Euphemism, indicating a more relationally-oriented style. Meanwhile, the male speaker utilized a more focused, direct, but softened approach. These findings show that while the seriousness of a topic can lead to shared pragmatic choices, gendered communication patterns remain a major differentiating factor in digital intercultural discourse.