What is it called when civilians are killed?
Civilian casualties occur when civilians are killed or injured by non-civilians, mostly law enforcement officers, military personnel, rebel group forces, or terrorists.
What is the meaning of the euphemism collateral damage?
“Collateral damage” is a euphemism used by U.S. military officials to mask large levels of death and destruction. For decades, U.S. military officials have used the euphemism “collateral damage” to refer to the deaths of civilians and destruction of property that resulted from military operations. …
Is collateral damage a metaphor?
‘Collateral damage’ is a euphemism adopted by the US military in the mid 20th century. The word collateral derives from the Latin word ‘collateralis’, which means ‘together with’. So, when an intended target is struck and damage or death is caused nearby, that damage is ‘collateral’.
What does collateral victim mean?
n (Military) unintentional damage to civil property and civilian casualties, caused by military operations.
Why is it called a casualty?
The adjective “casual” and the noun “casualty” are both derived from the Latin “casus,” which simply means “event.” Another “casus” derivative, “case,” appeared in the 13th century and originally also meant “event,” but evolved over time to mean “an instance of something happening” or “the state of matters regarding a …
What is the meaning for casualties?
Definition of casualty 1a : a military person lost through death, wounds, injury, sickness, internment, or capture or through being missing in action The army sustained heavy casualties. b : a person or thing injured, lost, or destroyed : victim the ex-senator was a casualty of the last election.
Is friendly fire a euphemism?
Euphemism has long been the ally of warfare (friendly fire, collateral damage, neutralise, surgical strike).
What is a collat?
1 : property (such as securities) pledged by a borrower to protect the interests of the lender. 2 : a collateral relative A collateral inherited the estate. 3 : a branch of a bodily part (such as a vein)
Why do they call deaths casualties?
The noun “casualty” first appeared in the 15th century (originally in the form “casuality”) and, by analogy to “casual,” originally meant simply “an accident or chance occurrence.” But by the 16th century, “casualty” had narrowed to mean specifically “an unfortunate event” (thus the widespread use of “casualty” in the …