英语语言学论文

英语语言学概论论文

论文题目:An Analysis of Euphemism in English From the Politeness Principle of Pragmatics

Abstract

Euphemism, cosmetic words, is not only a lingual phenomenon, but also a cultural and social phenomenon. It is like a mirror, reflecting the values, aesthetic conceptions and moral concepts in some extent. Euphemism plays an important part in social communication. It is like lube that avoids hurting the other party’s feeling. It oils the human relationship in communication and helps to save face of communicators. If people make full use of euphemism, it can accelerate and facilitate human communication. This paper elaborates on the features and social functions of euphemism. And it focuses on the relationships between its polite functions and Politeness Principle. This thesis is composed of six parts with Chapter Four and Five as its core: The first chapter focuses on the origin and definitions of euphemism. The second chapter discusses the features of euphemism in many ways. The third chapter talks about the social functions of euphemism from the angle of pragmatics. The fourth chapter forms the basis of the whole research by connecting euphemism with politeness and face-saving theory. The fifth chapter centers on euphemism and Politeness Principle. The last chapter concludes the whole thesis. Appropriate use of English euphemism can contribute a lot to successful message exchange.

Key Words: euphemism; social functions; Politeness Principle; face

1. Introduction

There is a humor: Once a Paris tourist resided in UK. A landlady told him sadly

that, “My husband has just passed to the other side.” The guest looked from the

fence of the garden but saw no one, feeling confused. The landlady explained: “I

mean he’s kicked the bucket.” The guest comforted her that: “I hope his foot

will be better soon.” The landlady felt unintelligibly and said: “No, he wasn’

t here, he snuffed it… you know.” The guest wondered and said: “But you’ve

got electricity here.”

The reasons why the guest didn’t answer properly are that he didn’t realize

that the landlady used euphemism, nor did he understand the “conversational implicature” of euphemism. What the landlady wanted to say is that her husband

died.The word euphemism comes from the Greek word “euphemos”, meaning

"auspicious/good/fortunate speech" which in turn is derived from the Greek root---

words eu, "good/well" + pheme, "speech/speaking". The eupheme was originally a

word or phrase used in place of a religious word or phrase that should not be spoken

aloud (Such as taboo). The primary examples of taboo words requiring the use of

a euphemism are the unspeakable names for a deity, such as Persephone, Hecate,

Nemesis or Yahweh. By speaking only words favorable to the gods or spirits, the

speaker attempted to produce good fortune by remaining in good favor with them.“Euphemism is defined in the New Edition of the Oxford Concise Dictionary (1976)

as ‘Substitution of mild or vague or roundabout expression for harsh or direct

one; expression thus substituted.’ IN Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary (1973)

the definition reads, ‘Substitution of an agreeable or inoffensive expression

for one that may offend or suggest something unpleasant.’”

Euphemism is an important rhetorical means in English. It plays an important

role in people’s daily communication. It is not only a cultural phenomenon, but also a social phenomenon. It just likes a mirror, which reflects

some social and psychological phenomena.