英美社会与文化论文.docx
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英美社会与文化论文
TITLEOntheFormationandClassificationofEnglishEuphemisms
Contents
AbstractinChinese……………………………………………………………
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AbstractinEnglish…………………………………………………………….
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1.Introduction………………………………………………………………….
2.LiteratureReview………….……….…………………………….....….……
3.FormationofEuphemisms…………….….……….……….……….….
3.1Omission………….……….…………………………….....….….….….
3.2Adoptionofacronymsorabbreviatedwords……….……….………..….
3.3Adoptionoffuzzywords….……………….……….…………….…..….
3.4Substitutionofsynonyms………….……….………………………….….
3.5Applicationofanalogy………….……….…………………………….…
3.6Adoptionofforeignwords………….……….……………………….….
3.7Understatement………….……….…………………………….....…..….
3.8Circuitousstatements.………….……….……………………….….….
3.9Metaphor………….……….…………………………….....….….….….
3.10Specialsentencepatternstotoneitmildly………….……….…………
4.ClassificationofEuphemisms………….……….…………………………
4.1Fromtheperspectiveofsemantics………….……….…………………
4.2Fromtheperspectiveofappearancefrequency………….……….…….…
4.3Fromtheperspectiveofthescopesofpracticaluse………….……….…
4.3.1Euphemismsondeath………….……….………………………….
4.3.2Euphemismsonsexandpregnancy………….……….……………
4.3.3Euphemismsongoingtothetoilet………….……….………………
4.3.4Euphemismsonphysicalappearance.………….……….…………
4.3.5Euphemismsonprofessions………….……….………………….…
4.3.6Euphemismsonpovertyandjoblessness……….……….…………
4.3.7Euphemismsoncrimes………….……….………………….………
4.3.8Euphemismsonpolitics………….……….………………….………
4.3.9Euphemismsonwar………….……….……………………….……
4.3.10Euphemismsoncommerce………….……….……………….….
4.3.11EuphemismsonaddressingGodanddemon………….……….…
5.Conclusion………………………………………………………..…………..
Bibliography………………………………………………………...………….
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Abstract
Theuseofeuphemismisaprevailinglanguagephenomenoninhumancommunication.Andthecorrectuseofeuphemismcanavoidembarrassmentandunpleasantnessduringinterpersonalcommunication,whichleadstothesuccessfulsocialintercourse.Inourcurrentsociety,euphemismisusedineveryfield,soitisofimportanceinEnglishlearningandapplicationthatlearningeuphemismwell.Theessayintroducedthefunctionandtheapplicationofeuphemism,basingonthese,summarizedtheformationandclassificationofeuphemismsfromanewstand,aimingtofacilitatethecorrectandflexibleuseofeuphemism.
Keywords:
euphemism;formationandclassification;correctuse
内容摘要
委婉语的使用是人类交往过程中非常普遍的一种语言现象。
正确的使用委婉语可以避免人际交往的尴尬或不快，从而达到成功交往的目的。
当今社会，委婉语已在各个领域被广泛地使用，因此学好英语中的委婉语对于我们的英语学习和英语应用有着重要的现实意义。
文章介绍了委婉语的功能和运用，在此基础上总结了委婉语的构成与分类。
主旨在帮助英语学习者避免委婉语的错误运用，促进中外双方交流的顺利准确。
关键词：
委婉语；构成与分类;正确运用
1.Introduction
EuphemismisoriginatedfromtheGreekwhichmeans“goodspeech”.Todaysomewesternscholarsevenlabelitas“gildedspeech”orthe“cosmeticwords”.
Euphemismscanhelpeliminaterudenessandvulgarityandrefinelinguisticformsininterpersonalconversations,hencetheyareusedextensivelytofacilitatethecommunications.Englishisabundantineuphemisms.Englisheuphemismsaremildandindirectintones,vividandlivelyineffects.Theyhaveplayedanunsubstitutibleroleindailyinteractions.Thisessaymakesabriefprobeintotheformationandclassificationofeuphemisms.Manyexperts（likeZolaStone）haveelaboratedonthistopicfromdifferentperspectives,buttheirfindingsareeitherpartialorincomplete.Thisthesistriestogiveacompleteclassificationofeuphemismsfromanewstand.
2.LiteratureReview
Generallyspeaking,manylinguisticshavemadestudiesoftheformationandclassificationofeuphemism,butmostofthemmadetheirstudiesfromdifferentstands,andtheirstudiesareallpartlyincomplete.Forexample,somestudytheclassificationfromtheformingprinciples（孙保国）,whilesomefromtheaspectofeverydayuse（陈文乾）.Allthesestudiesmakethestudyoftheclassificationsorichandsplendid.
3.FormationofEuphemisms
Euphemismscanbeachievedbyalotofmeans.Thissectionwilldiscussinbriefeachtypeofmethods.
3.1Omission
Byomittingsomeharshwords,wecanmakeourwordsmilderandgentler.Forexample,inpublic,wedonotsay“pregnantwomen”,instead,weareexpectedtosay”Sheisexpecting”or“Sheisinadelicatecondition”..
3.2Adoptionofacronymsorabbreviatedwords.
Forexampleweabbreviatewaterclosetfor“W.C”,bodyodorfor“B.O”,cancerfor“BigC”.
3.3Adoptionoffuzzywords.
Whenwetalkaboutsomethingunpleasant,manyfuzzywordsareusedtoexpressourthoughtsinavaguewaytoavoidtobeoffensive.Ifanunwedgirlbecomespregnant,herneighborsmaytalkinthisway:
“Shehasanaccident.”Vaginaorpenisismorefrequentlyreferredtothe"privatepart"
3.4Substitutionofsynonyms
Inordertopraisesomeoneandshowourwellmeaning,wesuesomesynonymouswordstosubstitutetheoriginalwords.Thesynonymsusuallyaremorepositivethanthereplacedone.Forinstance,“economical”canbereplacedbysomeotherwords,suchas“thrift”
3.5Applicationofanalogy.
Thismethodisfrequentlyseenpeople`jobs.arementioned.
Streetcleaner,isaffectionatelycalled“sanitationengineer”or“citybeautician”;andtherat-catcher,affectionatelyreferredas”exterminatingengineer”.
3.6Adoptionofforeignwords.
Theuseofaforeignwordtoexpressthemeaningisextensivelyfoundinactualpractice,forexample,”lingerie“（aFrenchword.）isfavoredbymostEnglish-spokenpeople,ratherthan“women`sinsideclothes”.
3.7Understatement.
Forexample,"steal"canbesaidas"takeother'sthingswithoutpermission".Thelatterexpressionisfavoredbymanypeople,especiallytheburglars.Thismethodcanhelpdecreesthenegativeimpressions.
3.8Circuitousstatements.
Ateacher`sassessmentononestudentcanbe"heissuretogofarifhecanusehisresourcesfully",whoseundertoneisthisstudentistoolazy.Andtodescribeacheatingboycanbe"hedependsonotherstoomuchtodohiswork".
3.9Metaphor
To"die"isdescribedas"gotosleepforever";the"pimple"iscomparedto"blossom"
3.10Specialsentencepatternstotoneitmildly.
Englisheuphemismscanbeachievedbytheuseofsyntacticmeans,especiallyinconjunctivemoods.Othersentencepatternsinclude:
"Couldyoupleasegivemeacupofcoffee?
"
"I'dlikesomesugar."Respectively,
"Iamafraid,Iamnotsure"andotherphrasesusedinconjunction.
“WhataboutgoingtotheWestLake?
”
Allthetenmethodsabovecanhelpmakeyourspeechcourteousandelegant.
4.classificationofeuphemisms.
Euphemismscanbeclassifiedintodifferenttypesfromdifferentangles.Thissectionchieflytouchesuponthreekindsofdivision.
4.1Fromtheperspectiveofsemantics,euphemismscanbedividedintothreegroups,ie,positiveeuphemisms,negativeeuphemismsandneutraleuphemisms.
1）Positiveeuphemismsrefertothesupplantationofhumblewordsforagreeableorpleasantwords.Forexample,whenpeopletalkaboutthecobblerwemaymostlikelyusethe“shoerebuilder”instead.
2）Negativeeuphemismsrefertothereplacementofpejorativewordsforlessoffensivewords.Forexample,peopleoftendonotsay“amadhouse”,insteadwetendtouse“insaneasylum”morefrequently.
3）Neutraleuphemismsrefertothesubstitutionforaforeignword.
4.2Fromtheperspectiveofappearancefrequency,euphemismscanbegroupedastemporaryeuphemismsandgeneraleuphemisms.
1）Temporaryeuphemismshaveaverylimitedcirculationandtimespan,maybejustinafamilyoramongagroupoffriends.Forexampleonefamilyhappentorefer“euphemism”asthetoilet,buttheoutsidersmaytotallyfeelatalossaboutwhattheyaretalkingabout.
2）Generaleuphemismreferstothefixedlinguisticunitsduringacertainperiodoftimeinalanguagecommunity.Asarule,mostofthemcanbetracedinvariousdictionaries,suchas"beexpecting","kickedthebucket","disadvantagedcitizen"andsoon.
4.3Fromtheperspectiveofthescopesofpracticaluse,euphemismsfallintotengroups.
4.3.1Euphemismsonhealth
ThiskindofEuphemismsoriginatedfromtheearlyhumancivilization.Toavoidtheassociationoffear,helplessnessandsorrowboundedwith“death”,weoftenuseeuphemisms.asbelow:
Directexpressions
Euphemisms
die
passaway
gotoheaven
passaway
depart
leaveus
gotosleep
finalsleep
ceasedtothink
gonetosleep-butforever
ill
undertheweather
old
advancedinage
seniorcitizen
goldenage
venerablepeople
getonyears
passone’sprime
graveyard
memorygarden
finalrestingplace
deathpenalty
capitalpunishment
cancer
terminallyill
4.3.2.Euphemismsonsexandpregnancy
Directexpressions
Euphemisms
venerealdisease
socialdisease
illegitimatechild
lovechild
freelove
trialmarriage
menstruation
haveone’speriods
homosexual
gay,queer
pregnant
tobeinadelicatecondition,
tospoilawoman’sshape,
alady–inwaiting
tobeinafamilyway
tohavesexwith
gotobedwith
havephysicalcontactwith
4.3.3.Euphemismsongoingtothetoilet
Directexpressions
Euphemisms
tourinateordefecate
answernature’scall
washone’shands
gotothebathroom
doone’sbusiness
women’slavatory
powderroom
men’slavatory
gent’s
4.3.4.Euphemismsonphysicalappearance.
Directexpressions
Euphemisms
ugly
plain,homely
skinny
Slender,slim
fat
weight-watcher
plump,stout
out-size
over-weight
acne
problemskin
deaf
hardoflistening
breast
bosom
leg
limb
4.3.5.Euphemismsonprofessions
Directexpressions
Euphemisms
undertaker
mortician
cobbler
shoerebuilder
gardener
landscapearchitect
secretary
administrativeassistant
plumber
heatingengineer
garbagecollect
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