a-study-on-cultural-connotation-of-english-euphemism--英语委婉语文化内涵的研究大学论文.doc

A Study on Cultural Connotation of English Euphemism

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专 业 英语
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2013年5月25日
A Study on Cultural Connotation of English Euphemism

Abstract：Euphemism is a common phenomenon in language, which is a kind of special language form created by people in social activities to seek the ideal communication effect. In many communicative situations, it can disguise unsatisfying, disgusting, embarrassing and even terrifying facts and phenomena. At the same time, it can maintain the speaker’s image and the listener’s self-esteem, so that it could save the two parties’ faces and make sure that communication go on very well. Therefore, euphemism has become an essential language tool to coordinate interpersonal relationship, which is called “the driving force in the communication”.
As a language figures of speech, euphemism is a language phenomenon as well as a social phenomenon and cultural phenomenon. Hence, due to the different cultural background of every nation, the usage of euphemism’ is different. There are all kinds of euphemism in English, as a language phenomenon it has its own unique origin, feature, constructive method, social function and so on, it also follow a certain law of development. Euphemism is an indispensable part in English culture as well as important topic in cross-cultural communication. In this view, being familiar with and mastering English euphemism not only help us know well the social psychology and cultural connotation in Britain and Americans, but also smooth interpersonal relationship and provoke communicative activities to achieve the ideal effect. This thesis is made up of four parts. The first chapter gives a brief introduction about the definition, origin of English euphemism and different scholars’ reviews about English euphemism from oversea and domestic. In the second chapter, an elaborate analysis of the formation, development and classification of English euphemism. Chapter three introduces the relationships between English euphemism and cultural connotation, and has a detail analysis to functions of English euphemism. Finally, a conclusion is given to summarize the cultural connotation of English euphemism.

Key words: English euphemism; social functions; cultural connotation

A Study on Cultural Connotation of English Euphemism
英语委婉语文化内涵的研究

摘要：委婉语是语言中的一种普遍现象, 是人们在社会交往中为谋求理想的交际效果而创造的一种特殊语言表达形式，在很多交际场合中，它能掩饰令人不快，厌恶，尴尬甚至恐惧的事实和现象，同时还能维护说话人的形象和听话人的自尊心，从而保全了交际双方的面子，使交际得以顺利进展下去。因此，委婉语成为交际中必不可少的协调人际关系的一种重要语言工具，被称为“交际中的驱动力”。
委婉语作为语言的一种修辞格，即是一种语言现象，也是一种社会现象和文化现象。因此，由于每个民族不同的文化背景，委婉语的使用也有所不同，英语中存在不同种类的委婉语。作为一种语言现象，它有其独特的来源，特点，构成方法，社会功能等，并遵循一定的发展规律。英语委婉语是英语文化中不可分割的一部分，也是跨文化交际里一个重要的课题，因此，熟悉和掌握英语委婉语不仅能够帮助我们了解英美等国的社会心理和风俗文化，还对改善人际关系，促进交活动达到理想的交际效果有着举足轻重的作用。本文分为四个部分，第一章主要简述了英语委婉语的定义，起源以及古今中外学者对于英语委婉语的研究与理解，第二章详细分述了英语委婉语的形成，发展与分类，第三章作者在前文的基础上分析了英语委婉语与其文化内涵的关系，同时对英语委婉语的社会功能进行了较为详细的探析，最后一章总结了英语委婉语的文化内涵。

关键词：英语委婉语；社会功能；文化内涵

Contents

Abstract I
1. Introduction 1
1.1 Definition of English Euphemism 1
1.2 Literature Reviews on English Euphemism 1
2. Formation and Development of English Euphemism 3
2.1 Development of English Euphemism 3
2.1.1 Origin of English Euphemism 3
2.1.2 Development of English Euphemism 4
2.2 Classification of English Euphemism 5
2.2.1 Traditional Euphemism 5
2.2.2 Stylistic euphemism 6
3. Cultural Connotation 6
3.1 Relationship between English Euphemism and Cultural Connotation.............6
3.1.1 Religious Beliefs 6
3.1.2 Social Psychology 7
3.1.3 Political Life 7
3.1.4 Business Activity 7
3.2 Functions of English Euphemism 8
3.2.1 Substitution for Taboo 8
3.2.2 Showing politeness 8
3.2.3 Dissimulation 9
4. Conclusion 10
References ...................................................................................................................11
Acknowledgments …………………………………………………………………...12

10

A Study on Cultural Connotation of English Euphemism

1 Introduction
1.1 Definition of English Euphemism
Euphemism is originated from a Greek word in which its prefix “eu” means “good, well” and the root “pheme” means “speech or saying”. That is to say, the literal meaning of euphemism is to speak with some good words.
In fact, English euphemism has experienced a long history, and we can trace back its origin to the ancient times, the early period of human civilization. In 1066, the Norman Conquest, Anglo-Saxons replaced the religious taboos with euphemistic expressions. When it came to eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, English euphemism became more and more popular and widely used around the world. In twentieth century, with the rapid development of science and technology, the euphemism had involved every fields in the world, a lot of new euphemisms sprung up. Nowadays, euphemism tends to be mature, it is not only used as one rhetorical means, but also one strategy which can not be ignored in our daily life.
1.2 Literature Reviews on English Euphemism
The word “euphemism” is first recorded in Thomas Blount’s Glossographia (1656) where it was defined as “a good or favorable interpretion of a bad word”. The American linguist Menchen (1936) writes a book The American Language, which analyzes hundreds of euphemisms came into being and became popular which provides a foundation for further studies of euphemism. In the 7th Edition of the Concise Oxford Dictionary (1982), English euphemism is described as “substitution of mild or vague or roundabout expression for harsh of direct one”. According to Allan and Burridge, in their book entitled Euphemism and Dysphemism, “A euphemism is used as an alternative to a dispreferred expression, in order to avoid possible loss of face: either one’s own face, or through giving offense, that of the audience, or of some third party”. British linguist Rawson Hugh (1981) finds out that the extensive discussion of definition, classification, features and domains of euphemism show the invaluable academic importance of euphemism in the dictionary on euphemism called A Dictionary of Euphemisms and Other Double-talk. In Dictionary of Language and Linguistics, euphemism is defined as “A kind of expressing method which aims at not making people feel embarrassed by using some words with vague and ambiguous meaning instead of those which may make people unpleasant and not respected” Euphemism is closely related to taboo has drawn great attention from the early time. Lewis, J (1985). in his Faire of Speech: the Use of Euphemism, a collection of many pieces of essays each concerning a specific domain, tells us how to use euphemism to speak more politely and properly. In 2000, Fasold. R wrote a book The Sociolinguistics of Language, an entire chapter of which covers the study and analysis of euphemism by focusing on not only the historical and social background of euphemism, but also the nature of this social phenomenon.
In China, the study of euphemism began later than the western. Chinese scholar Chen Wangdao (1962) wrote a book The Development of Euphemism, which is one of the earliest books on his subject in which euphemism is clearly defined and studied from a rhetoric perspective. What’s more, he pointed that euphemism is found not only in lexical words but also in sentences or even discourse. Fan Jiancai (1996) gives a detailed description of euphemism in his book Appreciation and Analysis of English Rhetoric. By the vivid examples, Fan Jiancai discusses the constructing causes, characteristics and constructing methods of euphemism. He argues that “Big Harry” is used to indicate the drug “heroin”, “sunset” or “Golden age” is used as a metaphor of “old age”, and “Miss Emma” is used to refer to “morphine”. According to Guo Xiumei(1985) “Euphemism is the substitution of presumably inoffensive word for one that might give offence, euphemism is a soften, bland, neutral expressions used instead of one that might suggest something unpleasant”. In fact, it is the linguist Zhang Zhigong (1982) that brought the research of euphemism into the scope of lexicology. In 1970s, western theories of socio-linguistics were introduced into China and many scholars began to conduct research on the social functions of English euphemism. Chen Yuan (1983) one of the most outstanding scholars, devotes a special chapter to the study and analysis of euphemism in Sociolinguistics, providing not only with the historical and social background of euphemism, but also with the nature of this social phenomenon. Liu Chunbao (1993) compiled A Dictionary of English Euphemism which is an overall collection of English euphemisms in many domains. It distinguishes the original meanings from the euphemistic meanings of the words, it is a useful tool for Chinese learners to master English euphemism. Its publication indicates the explicitness of the study of English euphemism by Chinese scholars.
From the above mentioned, we can say until now, euphemism has been still studied by foreign and Chinese scholars, and we believe that this topic will go on with the development of our human language.

2. Formation and Development of English Euphemism
2.1 Development of English Euphemism
2.1.1 Origin of English Euphemism
The earliest English euphemisms came from “taboo”. It indicates evasive language or action. The emergence of English euphemism is to meet the need of avoiding taboos. In human primitive society, people can’t explain some things such as ailment or some supernatural phenomena. “People have confusion between the name of the things and things themselves. The name is viewed as an extension of things. Just as the idiom says ‘Speak of devil and he appears’. Naturally the words or phrases related to the taboos. In the ancient times, people had a blind faith in ghosts and Gods which they scared and respected. They whispered and even feared them,so they did not dare to call out their names directly. They think it profanes to name God. Therefore the names of gods become the earliest taboos. To speak name of gods evoked the divinity whose power then had to be confronted. So the usual way to avoid is to employ euphemisms. Therefore, for need of the religious, a lot of euphemisms about religion sprung up. For example, in order not to desecrate God, people in English-speaking countries always use some other names for God instead of calling directly, such as “Adonai, the Almighty, Caesar’s Cruth, the Creator, God, Gad, Land, Lawks, Lawd.” The opposite side of god is devil, which people is afraid. When people refer to them, they tend to use some euphemisms to replace: the Big D, the Evil one, the Black one, the Goodman, Jesse, Old boy, Our father, Lord of lords, King of kings, the Light of the world, etc.
From the above mentioned, we can find that religion brings many euphemistic terms in the religious matter, especially the naming and addressing of God to the language.
2.1.2 Development of English Euphemism
In the early ancient times, euphemism related to the religious. In the Ancient Greek and Roman, the names of God were considered the embodiment of God, once someone mentioned the names, his behavior would profane God, so people tend to call God by the means of euphemism. On the other hand, there was a belief among the citizens, that was the more names of God they knew, the bigger possibility which they defeat God, under that kind of background, a lot of euphemisms came out. With the development of our society, euphemistic scope extended from religious to other fields. In 1066, the Normans conquered England ,many euphemisms emerged in English , during that period, the main reason to bring up euphemism is that the language used by the conquered is often disparaged, and is thought as gross language. The upper class surely don’t want to lower their status to use such words. In order to avoid using such gross words, they tend to use some “magnificent words”, which originated from Latin, and these upper words were mixed into English gradually.
The 18th century is also a important period for the development of English euphemism, for the English euphemism had got its flourit. Britain was experiencing the Great Britain, the scope of euphemism came to politics, economy, culture and even military. The upper class deliberately used their clear words to show their ideas, and got the benefits what they wanted. At the same time ,the lower class lived in the lowest level of English society, they don’t care anything except that what they ate every day, how much money they could get one day, their words are simple and literal. So on that condition, the middle class became the main stream to evoke the formation and development of euphemism. In order to improve their social status, and distinguish the lower class, they chose the euphemistic words to beautify their thoughts and behaviors.
At the Economic Depression, everything began to sprung up after the war, the society was in the state of stability and prosperity, people tried to adopt some beautiful language to get rid of the haze of the Economic Depression, and modify their new life, then euphemism became more and more popular.
Until nowadays, many words not just have their literal meanings, in the special situation, they can express the surprising meaning. So when you don’t get the euphemism’s true meaning, you had better listen, or just say “I’m so sorry, I don’t know”, otherwise you will make a big mistake. You know, no one is willing to be laughed. Let’s have a sample, the word “Gay” primarily used as a synonym for “happy” or “cheerful”, but now it has become a property of homosexual community. Then “a gay party” is no longer to describe a happy and exciting party, in fact it means a place for homosexual, so when you say “We are young and gay” in the street ,you may get some confusion and strange notice.
2.2 Classification of English Euphemism
The emergence of euphemism is not only one kind of language rhetorical format, but one which people use it to achieve an ideal communication. From another angle of view, euphemism does push our human civilization to a higher level. According to the need to express things is a taboo or praise, euphemism can be divided into traditional euphemism and stylistic euphemism.
2.2.1 Traditional Euphemism
The traditional euphemism is also called negative euphemism, which closely related to the taboo. It directly expresses the same thing, but opposite each other. Such as “Birth, Aging, Illness and Death” which can’t be spoken in the public, if they are not modified enough in the process of a conversation, people may be disgusted with this straight behavior. On the contrary, the indirect euphemism can make the same thing exquisite. There is no doubt that most of people would s