The Reverse Euphemism
Santham (Tamil form of Sanskrit śānti = peace, tranquility) is used in Śrī Vaiṣṇava speech as a reverse euphemism for anger (kōpam). When a devotee becomes angry, the community says 'Santham ādināngaḷ' ('they became peaceful') instead of 'Kōpam ādināngaḷ' ('they became angry').
Why This Inversion?
The practice has two motivations:
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Avoiding negative speech about devotees: A Śrī Vaiṣṇava is a bhāgavata (God's own devotee), and speaking negatively about them — even to accurately describe their emotional state — feels inappropriate. If one must mention an unflattering quality, invert it to its opposite positive.
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The power of words: The tradition holds that words shape reality. Habitually using negative terms for negative states reinforces them; using positive terms even for negative states is a gentle reminder of the ideal state.
Broader Pattern
This practice is part of a broader Śrī Vaiṣṇava linguistic ethic of speaking well (mangalāśāsanam). Just as one uses tirunāmam, thirumugam, and amuthu suffixes to consecrate the mundane, one inverts negative terms to their positive counterparts when speaking about devotees.