noun
sailor's euphemisms; taboo words at sea
Superstitious euphemisms used by sailors to avoid bad luck, such as calling sardines 'sundries' or whales 'Ebisu'. A specialized cultural term.
漁師たちは沖言葉を使って、不漁を避けようとした。
Fishermen used sailor's euphemisms to try to avoid poor catches.
沖言葉では、鯨を「えびす」と呼ぶことがある。
In sailor's euphemisms, whales are sometimes called 'Ebisu'.
Compound of 沖 (oki, 'offshore') and 言葉 (kotoba, 'word'). The exact origin is uncertain, but it reflects maritime superstitions.