A-Contrastive-Study-of-Euphemism-between-English-and-Chinese-from-the-Perspective-of-the-Politeness.docx

2015届毕业生
毕业论文

题 目:A Contrastive Study of Euphemism between English and Chinese from the Perspective of the Politeness Principles

院系名称： 外语学院 专业班级： 英语F1003班
学生姓名： 学 号： 201119010425
指导教师： 教师职称： 副 教 授
2015年05 月24 日

A Contrastive Study of Euphemism between English and Chinese from the Perspective of the Politeness Principles

School of Foreign Languages
of
Henan University of Technology

Supervisor: Cheng Xiongyong

May 24, 2015

Acknowledgements

I would like to give my thanks to my supervisor, Dr. Cheng Xiongyong. His industrious attitude towards academic research and distinctive insight on my topic has a deep influence on my thesis and study, and his instruction gives me endless inspiration and motivation on my work. The whole process of selecting the topic of the thesis, collecting data, correcting the layout of thesis, guided by my supervisor, Dr. Cheng Xiongyong has made me accomplish this thesis. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my supervisor Dr. Cheng Xiongyong . I finished my thesis successfully under the teacher's scrupulous guidance and strong support. I cannot submit such a perfect paper without the help of my supervisor Dr. Cheng Xiongyong, equipped with specialized knowledge, rigorous research attitude, professional dedication and broad vision, who tries his best to help me complete my task.
Moreover, I would appreciate these abundant resources provided by my faculty. I obtained a great amount of information from library when I did not know how to accomplish this tremendous task. Finally, I express my thanks to my parents, classmates and my friends who gave me continuous support and impetus.

Abstract

With the increasing development of society and the process of obtaining the theoretical knowledge of euphemism, we must learn how to use euphemism in an appropriate way in order to show our respect for others, reflect the personal cultivation of language, avoid communication barriers, and finally promote mutual exchanges.
The first part of this thesis briefly introduces the related knowledge of English and Chinese euphemism and the research status of euphemism from the perspective of the politeness principles. The second part of this thesis tells us the information of euphemism from the concept, emergence, development, structure and classification, as well as the relationship between euphemism and the politeness principles in pragmatic domains. In the third part, this thesis uses the conceptual research, the methods of comparison research and example analysis. The fourth part mainly discusses how euphemism reflects and complies with the six maxims of the politeness principles. However, euphemism, either in Western countries putting stress on the individuality or in oriental countries like China deeply influenced by hierarchical system, influences people's communication. This thesis from the cultural and pragmatic perspectives and the politeness principles as the theoretical basis, discusses the use of English and Chinese euphe mism in political, commercial, social status and people's daily life.
Through the above analysis, we can see that the appropriate use of euphemism in compliance with the politeness principles can minimize the damage to others to the lowest level and achieve the purpose of successful communication.

Key words: application; euphemism; linguistics; principle

内容摘要

在日益发展社会里,为了提高跨文化交际和日常交流能力,我们在了解委婉语理论知识的同时,也必须要在交际中恰到好处地运用委婉语,做到既尊重他人又体现个人的语言修养,避免造成交际障碍,促进相互交流。
本文第一部分简要介绍了中英委婉语的相关知识以及在礼貌原则视角中委婉语的研究现状。本文的第二部分告诉我们委婉语的概念，产生，发展，结构和分类信息，以及委婉语与语用学领域的礼貌原则相互关系。本文的第三部分是采用概念研究,以及比较研究方法，举例分析法完成的。第四部分主要论述委婉语是如何体现及遵守礼貌原则的六大准则的。然而，无论是在强调个性的西方国家或在神受等级制度影响的东方国家如中国都影响着人们的沟通，委婉语都在左右着人们谈话、交流的思维。本文从文化和语用学的角度,以礼貌原则为理论基础,论述了在礼貌原则下中英委婉语在政治、商业、社会地位及人们日常社交方面中的广泛运用。
通过以上分析可以看出,遵循礼貌原则恰当的使用委婉语能够把对方的伤害降到最低限度,进而达到成功的交际目的。

关键词：委婉语；原则；研究；应用
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Contents

Acknowledgements…………………………………………………………………………...i
Abstract(English)……………………………………………………………………………..ii
Abstract(Chinese)………………………………………………………………………….iii
1. Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………1
2. Literature review…………………………………………………………………………….1
2.1. The definition and function of euphemism………………………………………….1
2.2. The types and formation of euphemism……………………………………………3
2.3. The politeness principles………………………………………………………….4
2.4. Previous studies on euphemism and the politeness principles……………………5
3 Methodology………………………………………………………………………………….5
4 Findings and discussion……………………………………………………………………….6
4.1. Euphemism and tact maxim…………………………………………………………….6
4.2. Euphemism and generosity maxim…………………………………………………….7
4.3. Euphemism and approbation maxim…………………………………………………8
4.4. Euphemism and modesty maxim………………………………………………………8
4.5. Euphemism and agreement maxim……………………………………………………9
4.6. Euphemism and sympathy maxim……………………………………………………9
5. Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………….10
5.1. Major findings…………………………………………………………. ……………10
5.2. Limatations and suggestions………………………………………………………….10
Works cited………………………………………………………………………………….…11

1 Introduction
Euphemism in the context is a common linguistic phenomenon in different languages. Euphemisms in English and Chinese are plentiful, and they have not only similarities but also differences in cultural connotations and expressions. The study of English and Chinese euphemisms can help people to understand the deep meaning in English and Chinese languages and get rid of the obstacles communications correctly. Euphemism is a kind of language phenomenon among different culture and has been studied by many scholars at home and abroad from different angles. Thus we have a better understanding of it and it can help us to interpret and use euphemism appropriately in communication. Besides, this paper states the definition of euphemism, the writing motivation and purpose. The contrast between English and Chinese euphemism research from the perspective of the politeness principles, discusses the relationship between euphemism and the politeness principles. At the same time, we can conduct a task about the analysis of several main types of English and Chinese euphemism from daily life, such as social politics, economy, military fields, professions and education. Furthermore, by exploring the basic communicative functions of euphemism, we can obtain new knowledge about euphemism depending on the social environment, such as the restriction and application of euphemism communication principle of euphemism in cross-cultural communication and the contrast research of non-verbal communication in English and Chinese euphemism.
By analyzing the similarities and differences of euphemism between English and Chinese, we can solve questions as followed:
Why it is so important in human communication?
How it influences people’s life from the perspective of politeness principle?
How it is applied to our life and makes the communication smoothly continue?
2 Literature review
2.1 The definition and function of euphemism
Euphemism is an appropriate language style and indispensable lubricant that people seek for in daily communication for the sake of reaching an ideal communication effect. Euphemism can avoid and soften sensitive or awkward topics or taboos. In each country, euphemisms are widely used. Thus, the generation and usage of euphemism is a general phenomenon in human language. As a special language phenomenon, euphemism not only includes euphemistic expressions accepted by community members, but also covers the euphemistic communication style that people adopt in specific environment. The use of euphemism varies with the gender, age, social status and occupation, as well as social conventions, traditional morality, religion, social values, etc. Thus, it shows euphemism is rooted in social culture deeply.
Euphemism in the context is a common linguistic phenomenon in different languages. By using euphemisms, people can express their ideas indirectly and politely, without making the listeners feel unpleasant and awkward. As a mirror of culture, the production and development of euphemisms are closely bound up with culture. Euphemisms in English and Chinese are also plentiful, and they have not only similarities but also differences in cultural connotations and expressions. The study of English and Chinese euphemisms can help people to understand the deep meaning in English and Chinese languages and get rid of the obstacles communications correctly.
Euphemism stems from Greek language “Euphemos,” or roots from Greek words ‘eu’ and ‘pheme’, which refers to auspicious and pleasant speech. The prefix of euphemism stands for good omen and the meaning of the stem of this word phemism is speech. That is, Euphemism is a good or favorable interpretation of a harsh word. It is widely acknowledged that speeches expressed in an indirect and circuitous way belong to euphemism.
Euphemism is an exalted term used in replacing a down-to-earth term, or “an attempt to give prettier term to an uglier reality, is one of the most fundamental and important items of rhetoric in English and is defined in the new edition of the oxford concise dictionary as substitution of mild or vague or roundabout expression for harsh or direct one, substitution of an inoffensive or agreeable expression for one that may suggest something unpleasant offensive harsh and blunt to the receiver, or to make it less troublesome for the speaker. They are often used for the sake of courtesy or consideration of other people’s feelings. In order to avoid some obverse conflicts and dispensable misunderstandings, we often use some mild and indirect words instead of the rude and forbidden ones. This is a feature of speech that can achieve an implied and tactful aim. Euphemism is a common skill that we use in English. Especially when our friends and relatives suffer from disaster, death illness or some other sorrows, we usually use certain mild and implied words to express ourselves but not the direct and abrupt ones in order to show politeness, comfort the tone and coordinate the personal relationships.
2.2The types and formation of euphemisms
With the development of language, euphemism is evolving from day to day, new expressions being took shape. Euphemisms may be shaped in various ways. The formation of euphemism, to a certain degree, complies with some principles, although some language phenomena are not reasonable but used frequently. Some Euphemisms show tremendous inventiveness of either figure or formation and some are undoubtedly playful. Euphemism can be formed through antithetical ways, e.g. by complete omission or even acronym abbreviation and circumlocution and also by one- for-one substitution; by part-for-whole and general-for-specific substitution; by the use of colloquial instead of formal terms; by understatement and hyperbole; and by the use of jargons or learned terms instead of common terms. Some learned terms and many technical jargons are either borrowed from another language of other community, for example, a lot of euphemisms are mostly derived from Ancient Greek or Latin.
Linguistic patterns of forming euphemism have gained wide public attention, English and Chinese euphemism not only have some features in common but also have their own intentions. Chinese is a Sino-Tibetan while English belongs to the Indo-European. On the one hand, we can study the formation of the English and Chinese euphemism from lexical device, rhetorical device, and phonetic device. On the other hand, the differences in English and Chinese euphemism are mainly the result of the culture. Different culture has different religions, practices and connotations. Euphemism is connected with the culture. Different cultures have diverse attitudes towards the same thing, deeply rooted in a country’s culture, having an intrinsic association with the country’s history, national character, customs values, etc. The cultural features of euphemism remind us that a certain familiarity of cultural backdrop of euphemism is important to the coding of euphemism. There are many ways to form euphemism.
a. Compounding: like gezudna (goes+under)
b. Acronym: for example, BM(bowel movement) the big c.
c. Respelling of initials: like dee (damn)
d. Punctuation: like d-(damn), son of a-(son of a bitch)
e. Synonyms: like slim (skinny)
f. Borrowing: like lingerie (underwear)
g. Fuzzy words: like affair
h. Metaphorical transfer: like the phrase go to sleep forever.(die)
i. Understatement: like smelly (stinking)
2.3. The politeness principle
We have learned six maxims from leech, a distinguished linguist, named as tact maxim, generosity maxim, modesty maxim, approbation maxim, agreement maxim and sympathy maxim accordingly.
In linguistic communication, euphemism is a lubricating function, while the politeness principle is a standard of moderating linguistic behavior.
From the above principles, we can easily get the conclusion that the objective of the politeness principle is to reduce the impoliteness to the lowest level. It also can be used into the Chinese culture. As we all know, the politeness is deeply rooted in the Chinese culture. They are usually used to benefit others and cost self as well as praise others and dispraise ourselves.
Because of the social status and different relationship, the speakers use different polite strategies when they are going on a communication. Politeness is very of importance in human communication. It is a defining point in putting stress on the communication and interpersonal relationship. The Politeness Principle plays a significant role in human communication. If people can comply with this principle, they can make their expression more skillful; whereas, if people run counter to the Politeness Principle, they may make the hearers feel not good.
The feelings of face for Chinese people put emphasis on profit and loss of sensibility, and it is need of dignity and esteem, not directing to the freedom of behavior and self-determination. In Chinese culture, hindering the behavior of freedom is not the defining factor that constitutes the loss of face. This is different from negative face in western culture based on the freedom of behavior and self-determination. Chinese culture especially puts stress on collective spirit, individuals want to integrate into the group, unless he is harmonious with the group, he will lose the basic stone to live. Therefore, Chinese put social value and the ability to dealing with affairs on the first place. A saying that human beings need a face to live, and trees need a skin to survive, demonstrates the importance of identity and being respected.
As an old saying goes, one should learn about the forbidden things of the boarder one goes to, learn about customs and habits of the country one goes to and learn about